


No-One Alone.

by MCMystery



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, No sex - Part 2., No sex - Part 4., No sex - Part 6., No sex - Part 8., Non-sexual - Part 1., Sexual content - Part 3., Sexual content - Part 5., Sexual content - Part 7.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:28:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21767593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCMystery/pseuds/MCMystery
Summary: A series of short pieces that track the growing relationship between Merula Snyde and fellow student Mackenzie Crowley.Set in the Hogwarts Mystery game. The initial instalment takes place after the Celestial Ball, and immediately after the Christmas at Hogwarts Side Quest, but before the First Date Side Quest.Following chapters will continue on, but will still relate to events in game.Following chapters will come, but will take time as they relate to in-game events that I am still working through.[[[ I do not own, or am in anyway connected to, the properties of Harry Potter, or Hogwarts Mystery. This is purely a hobby, and I make no money from this. ]]]
Relationships: Merula Snyde/Original Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

[[[ This story will make absolutely no sense if you have not played Hogwarts Mystery, as it takes place directly after the events of the first Christmas side quest. It will be following a character named Mackenzie Crowley, who takes on the role as the protagonist from the game. ]]]

[[[ I try to proof read, but frankly am busy. In addition my phone has a tendency to _Help_ and often auto-incorrects the wrong word in. I apologise for any errors you may encounter. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 1.**

****

It was Christmas, not the day, but the holiday season. She hadn't stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas before, always instead choosing to go back home to spend the holiday with her parents. This year, however, her fourth year at the school -- she'd decided to stay.

It had been an emotional conversation with her mother, when she first broached the subject. After a while, however, her mother had remembered how she too had chosen to spend at least a couple of holidays at the school herself, and gave Mackenzie her blessing.

She sat on her bed, the green curtains open giving her a view of the mostly deserted Slytherin dormitory. Throwing her arms outwards, she stretched, her muscles complaining delightfully as all the knots loosened and melted away. It was late, and she was tired.

It had been a busy few days in all honesty. When she'd elected to remain at the school, she didn't for a moment imagine she'd be subduing a Yeti, but she had. It hadn't taken much -- Mackenzie assumed the poor beast may have been injured prior to their confrontation, as she very much doubted a fully grown, healthy Yeti could be bested by a fourth year so easily. Regardless, however, it was safe now… undoubtedly under the care of Hagrid, or Professor Kettleburn. The remaining days had been more of what she had expected of Christmas as Hogwarts, spending time with Rowan, Penny, Tonks, Bill, and Charlie… no classes, no Vaults, just her and her friends. Still, even with that, a cloud had hung over her. No Christmas had ever been quite right since Jacob disappeared.

Her friends had done all they could to brighten her mood, and it had worked if she was honest. Tonks teaching her how to bewitch snowballs holding a particularly fond place in her mind, and meeting Mr and Mrs Weasley had been a delight. The meal that the House Elves had laid on was no less than brilliant, even with the castle mostly vacant. She'd eaten so much that she was content to simply sit until she finally quit and fell asleep.

Despite it all, however, there was a pang of something in her chest. She didn't want to call it pity, as that wasn't right. 

"Still up?" A familiar voice sounded from the stairs that formed the entrance of the dorm, snatching Mackenzie from her thoughts.

"Yeah… not for much longer though, I'd wager. I thought you were already out cold." Mackenzie replied, looking over at Rowan as she walked in, kicking her shoes off and over to her bed.

"Oh, no. I spent a bit longer talking to Bill, and Mr and Mrs Weasley." Rowan replied, as she sat down on her bed, shedding her robe and hanging it up en route.

Mackenzie smiled to herself at how awkward her friend got around the older Gryffindor.

"And shut up." Rowan replied, smirking at her smile.

"I didn't say anything."

"I can hear you thinking it." Rowan chuckled, as she drew the curtains around her bed.

The two chatted for a few minutes, the curtains reopening a few moments later after Rowan had changed into her night-dress.

"What's wrong, you still seem a bit… I dunno, down?" Rowan asked, sitting near the top of her own bed.

"No, I'm okay. It's been great spending Christmas with everyone… and, I mean, who can say they tackled a Yeti in their fourth year?" Mackenzie replied, annoyed that her mood had been so suppressed over the holiday.

"Well I'll certainly give you the Yeti thing. So, does uh… does this have anything to do with a certain witch, then?" Rowan asked, her expression laced with the fact she already knew the answer.

"Now you can shut up." Mackenzie smiled.

"I mean, come on Mackenzie. Penny and I were sort of talking and… well, you did ask her to the Celestial Ball… and then you spent 3 hours -- with Peeves -- just to find her a gift. Plus, let's not forget the fact you asked her to the ball, much to surprise of everyone." She could have continued, and Mackenzie knew she could, but instead she simply let the implication hang.

"I just, she… I don't know. I feel bad --" Mackenzie began, before Rowan cut her off.

"Pretty sure it's more than that. You… well, you've always had this habit of finding a reason to spend time with her, even when everyone else was trying to keep their distance."

"Yeah, I… Yeah. But, I mean, for right now. She's all alone, Rowan. Her parents are in Azkaban, she has nobody. She stays here every year, did you know that? She told me… she stays here every Christmas because her house is empty. She -- She's so scared about getting hurt again that she won't let anyone… ugh, I don't know." Mackenzie continued, suddenly uncomfortable maintaining eye contact, instead deciding to fuss with the hem of her own night-dress, picking at the light pink fabric.

"Well, if anyone was going to get eyes for Merula Snyde, it was going to be you, wasn't it? You're not exactly one for taking the easy option." Rowan smiled, recognizing her friend's discomfort and moving to try and end it.

Mackenzie chuckled, "Yeah, I guess. I just wish she'd recognize that I'm not out to hurt her. We had a great time at the ball, or at least she said she did -- and I certainly did. She's just so defensive."

"You're persistent, I mean you've spent four years just to get her to not Jinx you in the face every time she sees you, and then to go to a dance. I'm pretty sure you'll get her to see sense soon enough." Rowan replied, "Now, it's like midnight, or near enough. I'm spent. We should get some sleep."

"Yeah, I guess. Happy Christmas, Rowan."

"Happy Christmas."

__

Mackenzie spent the next hour laying awake, tossing and turning. She'd lay on one side, arm beneath her pillow, staring at the green curtains that enclosed her bed. Then, she'd shift to her back, only to stare upward at the same green fabric. 

Insomnia was not something she was used to. Falling asleep was often a simple matter for her -- but tonight, rest eluded her.

"Crowley..." 

"The hell, Merula?" She said, pulling the curtain aside to see Merula Snyde standing next to the bed, a black night dress covering her, her form barely illuminated in the dim light of the Slytherin dormitory.

"How about you keep it down. Khanna's asleep… I honestly can't imagine how you manage to sleep with her breathing so loud." Merula replied, looking down at her.

"What's wrong, what do you--" Mackenzie began, shifting her weight to get up, her neck-line, usually side parted, brunette hair matted after her restless fidgeting.

Merula put her hand up, halting Mackenzie. "Just, be quiet an- and move up."

"What do you mea-" 

"I mean, move up." Merula replied gesturing for her to shift across the bed.

Mackenzie lay, dumbstruck. Her mind slowly beginning to spin up. She didn't say anything, she just did as asked and slid across the relatively narrow single bed.

Merula didn't look at her, refusing to make eye contact.

"Just… be quiet, and go to sleep. Okay, Crowley?" She finally asked, still not looking up.

"O- okay." Mackenzie said, keeping her voice low.

"Okay." Merula said, shifting her feet to discard footwear before she gingerly slid in the bed, pulling the duvet tightly over her shoulder and tucking it under her chin.

"Merula, are you alright?" Mackenzie whispered.

"I can't sleep. I just don't want to b- ... Just, please, go to sleep." She replied, facing away from her and off the bed, the curtain falling back into place. "If you tell anyone, I swear, Mackenzie, I'll kill you."

Mackenzie smiled, the smell of Merula's shampoo filling the air around her.

"Fair enough. Goodnight, Merula… Happy Christmas."

She didn't get a response, just the feeling of the now cramped bed shift as Merula settled into it.

She didn't know what Merula was after, what any of this meant, or what she should do… so she tried to keep her distance, but the limitations of the bed hardly allowed it.

Still, sleep now came swiftly as the smell of Merula's shampoo filled the space.

__

She awoke the next morning, her unconscious self evidently abandoning her conscious decision to keep her distance. She was facing the same direction as Merula, her face now inches from her hair. One arm was in its customary position stuffed under the pillow, but her right was draped over the waist of the girl beside her.

She twitched, stopping herself from instinctively snatching her arm back. Merula still seemed to be asleep, and if she wasn't -- well, she hadn't moved her arm, nor had she left.

No. Instead of freaking out, she decided to simply lay there, enjoying the closeness with Merula that she had always longed for, but never gotten.

A few minutes passed before the enormity and precarious nature of their position was abruptly made the focus.

"Hey, Mackenzie. You up, breakfast will be soon?" Rowan called, Mackenzie hearing her moving toward the common room.

Merula was suddenly very awake and wearing a face like thunder. She was on her back now, and as Mackenzie sat up, she looked up at her -- her eyes shifting toward where Rowan was. Mackenzie wished never to forget the expression she was wearing, an adorable mix of pleading threat.

"Just about, yeah. Uhh, you head on. I'll be there in a bit." Mackenzie called.

"Okay, don't be too long or all the bacon will be gone."

"I won't." 

The door sounded after a few moments, and Merula immediately climbed out of the bed and moved briskly toward her own dorm before pausing. She didn't look back, but she did speak.

"Thanks, Crowley. For the book and -- thanks." She said before padding barefoot out of the dorm.

"You're welcome." Mackenzie replied, though she knew Merula was too far to hear.

__

Merula waited in the common room, hiding in one of the many darkened corners, the Disillusionment Charm she cast over herself obscuring her further. She waited until she saw Crowley enter from the dorms and leave. She didn't… couldn't face her this morning.

Crying out loud, what was she thinking?! Why did she do that? Sure, Crowley wasn't that bad, not as bad as Copper… and she'd, well she obviously cared… A bit at least, but… no. No. 

Merula dropped the Charm and scowled. Annoyed at her weakness.

She moved back toward the dorm, intent on retrieving the slippers she'd forgotten in her haste after waking. She approached Crowley's bed, but they weren't there.

"Did she put them near my bed?" She muttered, moving back through the dorms until she finally found them.

There, at the foot of her bed, propped up against the trunk, was a pair of novelty Puffskein slippers. Her novelty Puffskein slippers. Atop them was a folded piece of parchment.

She bent down and snatched it up.

_|| I hope you slept well. ||_

She scoffed, refolding the note before going to tear it -- but stopped.

She moved over and opened the trunk at the foot of her bed and fished out the song book that Crowley had gotten her. She opened it, reading the note that Crowley had written inside the cover.

_|| Merula._

_Happy Christmas._

_Not as good as Devil's Snare, I'll admit. Still, I hope you like it._

_M.C. ||_

She smiled, remembering back to when she first woke up, with Mackenzie's arm around her. She'd felt her twitch when she woke up, and had been quietly thankful when the arm wasn't moved.

She smiled, put the note inside, and then closed the book.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

[[[ Months have passed since the events of the last chapter. This chapter takes place immediately after the First Date Time Limited Side Quest. It still follows Mackenzie Crowley, who is assuming the role of the protagonist in Hogwarts Mystery. It will still make very little sense if you are unfamiliar with the game. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 2.**

Mackenzie could scarcely believe that despite it all, everything had actually ended well. Merula had agreed to go on a date, and even though it had been pretty terrible -- thanks primarily to Tonks, she was now sitting beside her, inches from leaning on her shoulder, and holding her hand. She'd teased at a second date, and even confirmed that, despite all the things she'd change about the date, Mackenzie wasn't one of them.

She understood the sentiment, there were so many things she would have changed too. She wouldn't have ordered for Merula without asking, she would have planned in advance for things they could talk about, and she would have made sure to put the fear of You Know Who into Tonks and Charlie, making them thoroughly aware that date-crashing would be detrimental to their health. 

However, despite it all, here she was, with the girl she fancied beside her, both of them happy.

Her mind flashed back to Christmas, when Merula had slept beside her. Nothing had happened since then, but that moment, and the Celestial Ball, were until now her most cherished memories. Since then Merula had gone back to being her standard, abrasive self. To anyone else she was just a bully, an arrogant, offensive, aggressive bully... But to Mackenzie, well, she was the best witch at Hogwarts.

Despite all the contempt, the abrasiveness, the aggression, Mackenzie saw something. A vulnerability. Merula wasn't bad, she'd seen her conjure a Patronus and that proved it. She was just scared. She'd been hurt before. Cast aside by her parents, the two people who should love her unconditionally, so they could run around with a mass murdering psychopath -- and then get banged up in Azkaban for it. 

Merula was scared, scared of trusting only to be hurt again, and scared that maybe... Deep down... She was like her parents. 

Mackenzie didn't believe that though. Merula was a good soul, she was a bitch with it... But she was not a bad person. And, if she was, Mackenzie couldn't help the way she made her feel. By all rights, Mackenzie should hate her. The first time they'd met, Merula had been bullying Ben Copper, and while Mackenzie could hardly stand Copper herself, Merula had responded to her interruption with a jinx. The two had been public rivals since that day on. Still, Merula always helped whenever Mackenzie asked, though she protested the entire time. And asking Merula for help was something that she had found herself doing more and more of late. Just finding excuses to be with her.

Merula would make cruel, poorly timed quips about her brother Jacob at most opportunities, and though these hurt, the moment she would move to retort, her anger would melt away, and right now, looking at her as she stared skyward toward the stars, she could only feel a deep, painful, attraction to this girl.

Hell, Merula had even tricked her into an encounter with a Devil's Snare during her first year, but even so, something about her just wouldn't leave Mackenzie's mind.

"Shake your head, Crowley, your eyes are stuck." Merula said, a smile tugging at the right side of her mouth as she turned to face, Mackenzie only just realizing that she had been staring the entire time.

"Sorry." She replied, shaking her head slightly and moving to pull her hand back, only for Merula's grip to tighten on it slightly.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Mackenzie looking starward, but inadvertently snatching sideways glances at Merula. She looked stunning. Her hair, instead of it being its usual fantastic mess, was instead immaculately neatened. The black and green dress she wore was shorter than Mackenzie than had expected, and wasn't doing anything to help cool her down. Despite it being well gone sundown, and the air having a considerable chill to it, there was an ever present and, growing to be, oppressive heat in Mackenzie that she couldn't shake.

"We should probably get back. It's gone bedtime, and if Filch or Snape find us out of bed I doubt 'We were on a date' will cut it." Merula sighed, a dejected note in her voice.

"Well, I don't know. Snape might let it slide." Mackenzie said, thinking back to her interaction with her head of house just prior to her date. "Besides, at least we're keeping it in-house." She added with a chuckle.

"There is that, but I think you may be more tired than you are letting on, if you think Snape will let anything slide." Merula replied, a smile on her face as she stood up, still not releasing her hand.

Mackenzie felt her heart shiver a bit. Sure, the chances of running into another student were slim to none, but the fact that Merula would even consider holding her hand as they walked to the dormitory made her proud. The risk of them being seen was minimal, and Mackenzie had no desire to hide how she felt, but Merula -- for reasons Mackenzie attributed to self-defence, needed her image to remain one of cruelty, and this risk, no matter how slim, was still a risk to that.

Mackenzie stood up, readjusted her purple dress, readjusted her grip on Merula's hand, and the pair made for the Slytherin dorm.

It wasn't a long walk from the courtyard to the dungeons, but it was long enough. She didn't know how Merula felt, but Mackenzie could barely contain her excitement and nerves. Sneaking through the school, after hours, hand in hand with a girl she'd been crushing on since... Since she didn't even know when. Still, they held each others hand the entire journey.

"So, how do you want to play this? Walk in together, or one goes in first then the other, or... I don't know, throw me to Devil's Snare again?" Mackenzie asked, trying to lighten the mood near the end, as they both stared at the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"Do you have one to hand? Devil's Snare?" Merula asked jokingly.

"No, but I'm sure Hagrid--"

"No time for that then." Merula pressed forward, still holding tightly to Mackenzie's hand.

Stepping into the common room, the light from the many candles and sconces flickering and casting shadows through the sizable room, illuminating nobody.

Merula then released her hand and turned to face her, her left instinctively running up and rubbing the back of her own neck, a tell that Mackenzie had picked up on over the years.

"Thanks, Crowley. It was... It was pretty terrible, but -- well, I wouldn't have changed you." She said her eyes struggling to meet Mackenzie's.

"Neither would I." Mackenzie replied, taking both of Merula's hands in hers, then locking eyes with her when she looked. "I mean it. I -- I like you, Merula. I really like you. You really are the best witch at Hogwarts, especially to me."

The smile she was met with was worth all the awkward moments, all the anxiety, all the self-doubt, all the stress, and all the embarrassment that had befallen her since the moment Snape had first read her note in potions. 

Mackenzie's heart leapt to her throat as Merula's lips parted ever so slightly as she leaned in. Her internal monologue screaming and panicking.

_A kiss?! I didn't plan for a kiss. Didn't practice. Practice?! How do you practice for a kiss? Shit. Fuck. What do I do? Well don't just stand there! Then what do I do?! Shit!_

Her mind was going a mile a minute, and she just defaulted to what came naturally. Her own lips parted, she angled her head to suit the right hand tilt Merula had adopted, and closed her eyes...

Nothing.

She opened her eyes again, and saw Merula, still holding her hands, but now looking down at the floor. A look of unease, thinly-veiled fear, and failure on her face.

"I like you too, Mackenzie. I just -- I just don't know what to do." She said quietly, slipping her hands free of Mackenzie's.

"You could have done that." Mackenzie replied swiftly, her brain not having the chance to consider if it was wise or not.

Merula just stood, her hands awkwardly bunching her dress. 

"Goodnight, Crowley. Thank you, I -- I really am thankful." She said after a brief pause, before turning and moving swiftly toward the dormitory.

"Merula, I-"

"Goodnight. Goodnight, Crowley." She interrupted, opening the door and sweeping inside before Mackenzie could speak again.

"Goodnight, Merula." She replied, though she knew the now closed door blocked any chance of her being heard.

She brought her palm up and wiped her eyes, obliterating what tears had begun to form when she feared rejection. Instead a gentle, but still sad smile spread across her face.

"She almost kissed me." She whispered, thinking aloud. "Next time, maybe. Next time. Now, how do I practice kissing?" She continued, before restraining her thoughts to stop speaking them aloud, moving through the same door Merula had just taken and heading to bed.

Rowan was already asleep, in fact, as best she could tell, nearly everyone was. Climbing onto her bed, she closed the green fabric curtains and shed her purple dress, before pulling on a similarly coloured, though paler, nightdress. 

Crawling to the foot of her bed, she opened her enchanted trunk, the interior being far larger than it's exterior implied, and deposited the dress inside, placing it next to the deep blue, star emblazoned one she had worn to the Celestial Ball.

She then moved back up the bed, grabbed her wand to remove her make-up, and create just enough water so that she could quickly brush her teeth with her spare toothbrush and paste, and then slid down into her bed.

Sleep eluded her for a moment, her mind racing as her heart pounded with each memory of the kiss that wasn't. But exhaustion soon claimed her.

___

"Crowley..."

Mackenzie awoke with a start, but immediately felt a hand gently press over her mouth. Her eyes adjusted as she saw Merula standing next to her bed again. 

Her mind flashed back to Christmas, and she made a move to slide across. But Merula removed her hand and shook her head, a slight smile as she was clearly remembering the same event.

As Mackenzie looked up at her, her eyes began picking out details in the low candlelight. Merula was wearing the same night dress she had worn on Christmas, a mid thigh length black one, likely with her Puffskein slippers on to boot. As she watched, silent as Merula had indicated she should be, Merula leaned forward and placed her lips right by her hear.

"Come with me. Quietly, you wake Khanna or anyone else up and you'll regret it." She whispered, her breath hot in Mackenzie's ear and the smell of peppermint toothpaste washed over her. She simply nodded dumbly in response, as sparks shot through her.

She didn't know what the time was, or how long she'd been asleep, but her sleep addled mind was spinning furiously, and her heart and stomach were behaving similarly.

She slipped out of the bed, and padded after Merula. She thought to grab her wand, but upon seeing Merula lighting the way with her's, the brilliant flare of white light at its tip mostly concealed by a napkin or something, she decided it surplus and instead followed her to the common room.

As expected, the common room was as equally deserted now as it had been when they'd arrived. Gazing at the nearest clock she noted the time to be 2:33 in the morning, a truly unholy time of night.

"Merula, what's wrong?" She asked, quickening her step toward her.

"Nothing. Look at this." She replied, and having reached the large windows that looked out into the depths of the black lake, pointed at something.

"What? What is it?" Mackenzie asked, wishing now she had brought her wand, as she stepped forward, Merula stepping aside to let her closer to the glass.

She squinted, looking out into the oily black darkness of the lake. Looking, and seeing nothing. Her eyes then caught the reflection of Merula moving around behind her, an expression on her face she couldn't make out.

"Merula, what's going-" she began to ask, but stopped when she turned to see Merula's wand pointed right at her.

"Petrificus Totalus." Her violet eyes shining as she uttered the incantation.

Mackenzie felt her entire body lock up as the spell washed over her, paralyzing her. She could move her eyes, blink, breathe, and swallow, but that was it. She'd used this spell before, but never been the recipient of it. It wasn't great, and the look in Merula's eye didn't ease the feeling of dread welling up inside her.

Being immediately post-turn, however, Mackenzie's balance was gone and she immediately began to pitch forward. Merula moved in and grabbed her shoulders, stopping her slamming to the stone floor, and instead gently leaned her back against the glass.

Mackenzie's blood was cold, but as Merula recovered from catching her, her face was so close to hers, and the oppressive heat from before began to resurface.

"That would've been bad. As I said, I'm quite fond of the way you look -- it would be a shame if you got all bloody and bruised." She whispered, her voice dripping, and her violet eye sparking barely inches from her own.

So many thoughts spiralled through Mackenzie's mind. Ones she'd never really entertained before. Of her and Merula doing things, things that wouldn't even had occurred to her last year. What was it McGonagall had said? You're only a young witch once... The thoughts filling her mind now, as she stared, locked in place, at the source of all of her emotional torment, made her realize that she was growing up. Her heart, and mind, as well as her body. And there, sequestered beneath the roiling flashing images of her and Merula lost in exertion and excitement, was a thought that Mackenzie latched onto. 

_Fuck, if I'm thinking this. What if Merula is?_

Almost as an answer to her un-voiced question, Merula looked her up and down, still just inches from her, her lips parting as her breath came in shallow.

Mackenzie felt her heart leap again as Merula's hand gently took her by the waist. Suddenly feeling very vulnerable in only her pale purple nightdress.

"It's funny." Merula finally spoke, her voice quiet and dripping, "For years, 2... 3... However long. I used to day dream about getting you backed in a corner and paralyzed." She swallowed, hard, "Completely at my mercy." She continued, her hand gently, oh so gently, brushing against Mackenzie's skin through her nightdress. "But in none of those day dreams did I want to do what I want to do now."

Mackenzie swallowed hard. Her eyes, the only thing she could control right now, were darting frantically, taking in every detail that the low light afforded her. Merula's hair, now back to it's usual fantastic mess -- though matted slightly from her time laying in her bed. Her eyes were half-lidded and heavy, her seemingly permanent eye make-up only making the violet more striking. Her lips, parted, soft, and glistening. Her chest raising and dropping rapidly, and slightly. Drinking in every detail did nothing to help the jolts of excitement that shot through her with every gentle stroke Merula administered to her side.

 _Fuck,_ she thought, desperate to do something, anything. Desperate to act on all the thoughts drowning her senses. _Do something, Merula, do something, anything. Please._

She did.

Taking half a step forward, she dropped her wand. Her left hand moved from Mackenzie's waist to the small of her back, and her right gently moved up to hold onto her upper arm. Merula leaned in, and buried her face between Mackenzie's neck and shoulder.

Mackenzie felt a fire course through her, as Merula's breath teased her skin. She could feel her own breaths coming in sort, desperate, gasps, that would get stuck and hang every time Merula touched her.

Merula stayed there for a while, just breathing and holding her, then she felt Merula shudder. No, not shudder. Sob. She felt moisture, tears on her neck.

Another bolt shot through her, as she felt the tiniest of kisses on the side of her neck.

Then she felt only a heartbreaking need and sense of rejection as Merula pulled away.

Watching her turn, Mackenzie's entire body was on fire, screaming for her to come back, but in her mind she was more concerned than desperate. Facing away, Merula raised her hand and made the unmistakable motion of wiping her eyes.

The amount of time that passed seems like an eternity, but as Mackenzie watched, Merula's shoulders tensed, and squared before turning back. Her eyes, still shining violet, but now reddened and wearing an expression of sadness? Anger? 

No. Both.

"Why?" She asked, her lips shaking and her eyes welling up again. "Why do you have to make everything so difficult? I'm a horrible person, Crowley. I say, and I do horrible things. Why can't you just hate me? Just hate me and let me hate you."

She bent over and snatched her wand up from the floor.

"You couldn't just hate me, like everyone else. Even now, frozen and helpless your eyes are showing... Your wearing just heavier versions of the ones you usually look at me with. I look at Khanna and her eyes speak of disregard. Haywood? She doesn't like me, I can see it. Copper? That wretch is terrified of me. Karasu? Well, she's a prime example. She tried to like me, and I drove her away without meaning to. Nobody likes me, they either hate me, or are indifferent, and if they try, they only end up getting up hurt. Why can't you figure out what everyone else has? Tulip, Barnaby... My parents. I'm bad news, Crowley. T- trying to be with me will only get you hurt." She gripped her wand tightly, her knuckles stretching her skin white.

She looked away, wiping her eyes and cheeks dry, before turning back.

"But no, the great Mackenzie Crowley -- curse breaker, vault hunter Mackenzie Crowley, you couldn't just take the easy route and hate me. I gave you every reason to, and I'll only drive you away eventually." She was fighting now to keep her voice low, the tears rolling down her cheeks. "You just had to make me like you, didn't you? Couldn't just leave well enough alone. I-" she stopped, her eyes dropping and darting, focusing anywhere but on her. "I want this, Mackenzie. I want - I want you, but I'm bad for you. I'm bad for everyone."

Mackenzie's eyes were now running with tears of her own, and she could do nothing to stop them. Every thought she'd had before, every delicious and exciting possibility had boiled away now, and all that was left was turmoil.

"This," Merula croaked, her voice hoarse, using her wand to gesture between the two of them. "This can't happen. I can't -- I don't want to hurt you." She then turned and moved away, toward the door to the dormitory, wiping her eyes again before drying her arm and forearm on her nightdress. "It's better to just forget this. I'd rather hurt you a little bit now, then drive you away later... Hurting you more." She adjusted the grip on her wand, "I'm sorry, Mackenzie. I really am." She then flicked her wand, and went to open the door.

"It won't work you know!" Mackenzie called out, making her voice loud enough to prevent Merula opening the door through fear of an audience, the curse that Merula had put on her vanishing as she flicked her wand. "Driving me away. It won't work." 

She rubbed her eyes and face.

"Yes it will, it always does. It's just taking longer with you because... Because you're stupid." Merula replied.

"Bullshit! It's taking longer with me, because unlike Rowan, or Penny, or Tulip, or Barnaby, or anyone else I lo -- I fancy you. They don't. To them, you're just the spiteful Merula Snyde, but to me... You're the best witch at Hogwarts, My best witch at Hogwarts." Mackenzie protested, moving forward but stopping after a few steps. 

"So what?! So what, you've got some stupid crush on me. Other people, people who are supposed to love me, who shouldn't have a choice, still left. I still drove them away. They'd rather risk Azkaban than -- than..." She didn't finish.

"Give me some credit, Merula. Your parents are shitty people, Merula, and they did shitty things -- none so bad as abandoning you to go on a rampage with Vol- that fucking psychopath. The fact they chose a future so dark instead of you is a reflection on them, Merula. Not you. You're not a horrible person. You do horrible things, but only because you're scared that someone else-" 

"I'm not scared, Crowley. Shut up." Merula snapped, cutting her off, a look of rage flaring in her eyes.

"No. You are scared. You're not concerned you'll hurt me, you're scared I'll hurt you! You're scared you'll let me in, and then I'll leave." Mackenzie retorted, moving to close the distance but stopping abruptly when Merula raised her wand, the look of anger still burning behind her streaming violet eyes.

"I'm not scared! Shut up, Crowley." She hissed, her grip so tight on her wand it must have hurt.

"You'll have to use it, Merula. I'm not going anywhere. You can go back to being a bitch, being hurtful, spiteful, cruel, pretending that I mean nothing to you -- but we both know I do. I'm not your parents, Merula. I know that you're scared, but I'll show you you don't need to be. I want to help you, I want to-" Mackenzie pleaded again, before Merula once again interrupted.

"I'm not fucking scared. I'm not scared of you, I'm not scared of anything. Go to hell, Crowley!" She snapped, tugging the door open and moving out toward the dorms.

"Already there. You won't let me leave!" Mackenzie called after her as the door closed.

"Fucking girl!" Mackenzie snapped, turning and dropping down onto one of the leather couches, drying her eyes again.

She sat there for a while, not entirely sure how long, just replaying the entire thing in her head.

 _She's a fucking nightmare. She just won't let me in? Fuck sake. Through it all her parents are still fucking up her life, even when they're not here. Forget it. Forget the ending, think about how it started. All that... God, all that... Fuck._ She thought, moving her hands to her waist, where Merula had held her, and her neck where she'd kissed.

She smiled.

___

Merula was shattered. Physically and emotionally, and really had no desire to attend Kettleburn's lecture on Murtlaps, but if she didn't everyone would know, and so would Crowley, that there was more to last night than Merula had said.

She'd already managed to brush off Ismelda's questions over breakfast, saying that the date was fine... But ultimately would lead to nothing. She didn't need to give the rumour mill anything else to chew on.

Walking into the clearing where Kettleburn chose to teach, the low stone walls, partially broken in some places, encircling the area. Her eyes immediately rested on Crowley's. She was in uniform, obviously, and most of the makeup from their date was now gone, with the exception of around her eyes. She was beautiful, and Merula hated that she thought so. More importantly however, was the look in her eyes. 

Everything she'd said last night, all of it, she may as well have been speaking in parseltongue for all the good it had done. There, in Crowley's eyes, was the same look she'd seen since the end of year 3. That look of... Well, she didn't know what to call it, but it was the opposite of how everyone else looked at her. It was warm, inviting, and... Excited.

 _Fucking Crowley, she has no intention of letting this go._ Merula thought as she moved toward the opposite end of the throng of students, snatching her book from her satchel as she did.


	3. Chapter 3

[[[ A week has passed since the events of the last chapter. This chapter does not specifically relate to any in-game event. It still follows Mackenzie Crowley, who is assuming the role of the protagonist in Hogwarts Mystery. It will still make very little sense if you are unfamiliar with the game. ]]]

[[[ NOTE: Age Rating has increased! ]]]

[[[ NOTE: Underage tag has been added! ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 3.**

Mackenzie pushed the door open and emerged from the dormitories into the Slytherin common room. It was dark, the enchanted candles and torches that provided light being diminished, but not extinguished, for the evening.

Playing her eyes around the common room, she found it deserted. Her eyes settled on the tall dark windows that looked out into the black lake, and caught the reflection of a figure in the glass. 

She turned to look again, and there, where previously had been no-one, stood Merula. She was wearing a nightdress similar to the one Mackenzie had seen her in both on Christmas, and a week prior after their date.

"Merula. What's going on, why am I here, why are you here?" Mackenzie asked, her mind clouded and her thoughts struggling to make themselves known.

Merula had her wand, something Mackenzie hadn't noticed at first glance. She watched as she gently raised it, holding it loosely and lazily in her left hand, the candles nearest them suddenly burning brighter, the flames licking up higher and hotter than before.

She'd been wrong.

Merula wasn't wearing the same nightdress as before. This was similar, same length, same colour, but this one had a plunging neckline, and the material was sheer -- very sheer. The firelight, from candle and torch, cast deep shadows around her, but allowed Mackenzie to see, all too clearly, what was beneath the nightdress, the sheer material providing nothing in the way of modesty.

"You're a clever girl, Crowley. Figure it out." Merula replied, her words dripping with intent, and her violet eyes shining far brighter than, in Mackenzie's opinion, should be possible.

"But you- you said you wanted me to keep my dis- ..." MacKenzie began, stuttering, before abandoning the sentiment. Her mind growing even more clouded as she ran her eyes over every curve, every inch of Merula's covered, but visible, flesh.

She felt it again, that heat she had begun experiencing during their date, only this time it was far hotter, and more urgent. Her blood burned and she could feel the sense of urgency, of need, gnawing up at her chest from between her legs. Her stomach flipped and flittered, and her heart skipped and pounded in her chest and ears.

"Yeah, I did say that, didn't I?" Merula replied, her wand now gone, as she stepped forward, stopping just inches from Mackenzie.

Mackenzie found herself frozen again, not by a curse this time, but by her nerves. Her nerves vanished immediately however as Merula moved again.

Just as a week ago, she took half a step forward before leaning in, only this time she pressed her lips firmly onto Mackenzie's.

She held her there for a second, their lips pressed together, before Merula pulled back and locked eyes with her. 

"We're not kids Mackenzie. Let's try that again, yeah?" She whispered, parting her lips and leaning forward again.

This time Mackenzie reciprocated, parting her lips, adopting a complimentary tilt to her head, and pressing her lips to Merula's.

Mackenzie felt like she was floating as Merula's tongue danced inside her mouth, the hands of her crush suddenly moving too. Her left moving around behind the small of Mackenzie's back, pulling her in, while her right moved up to her head, her fingers brushing Mackenzie's neck-line, side parted, brown hair back behind her ear.

Mackenzie found her body running on autopilot. Her left hand mirrored Merula's, wrapping around her and pressing firmly into her lower back, the sheer fabric of her nightdress cool and silky. Her right grabbed Merula's upper arm and gently kneaded it with her thumb.

She didn't know how long they held eachother, lips pressed to one another, tongues curling and playing with each other, embraced in the deserted common room, but Mackenzie was the one that broke it. She pulled back, panting for breath, Merula doing the same. The light now bathing them showing Merula's cheeks to be flushed red, her eyes to be burning with need, and her chest heaving and she panted.

Mackenzie had no doubt she looked similar, but she couldn't imagine she looked half as perfect as Merula did to her.

Merula's contented smile shifted then. Mackenzie looked up, from her body to her eyes, and there -- shining from behind the violet, was mischief. Her lips were parted again, Mackenzie catching her tongue playing over her left canine.

"Well. No going back now." She breathed, bringing her arms up and pushing the sheer fabric of her nightdress off of her shoulders, sending the translucent black item falling to the floor.

Mackenzie swallowed hard as Merula suddenly became completely nude, just inches from her.

"Merula, I-" Mackenzie began, but her words were snatched from her as she felt Merulas's lips once again press to hers.

She hesitated, but soon her self control began to boil away atop the sense of urgency burning within her, and she opened her mouth. Pressing her tongue passed Merula's lips, and reaching forward to grab her, Mackenzie pulled her in.

Her's and Merula's bodies pressed firmly to the other, Mackenzie could feel her libido, which she had only known since Merula had teased her in this very room, was now fully awake. She could feel the moisture between her legs, and the dull ache that called for attention. Catalysed by her now fully clouded mind, her hands began to stroke and caress every inch of Merula that she could.

She ran her fingers down the girl's spine, finding the kiss they were both fighting over difficult to maintain when, in response Merula's back arched, and a smile spread across Mackenzie's face.

As her fingers reached the base of her spine, she instead flattened her hand and cupped one of Merula's buttocks, squeezing and kneading it gently.

It was then that her violet eyed crush broke the kiss, moving back, leaving a thin, temporary trail of saliva between the two.

"I always suspected you of being a glory-hog, Crowley, but not selfish, too." Merula panted, her eyes half-lidded before she placed her hands on Mackenzie's chest, pressing her palms gently onto her breasts, before running them up and pulling MacKenzie's nightdress off of her shoulders.

Mackenzie had never been bashful before, not really, but the moment her hands moved from her breasts and slipped her nightdress off, the moment it fell, revealing herself in her entirety to the girl she'd been crushing since who-knows-when, she couldn't help it. She looked away, her cheeks flushing even hotter than they already were.

"Where are you going, Mackenzie?" Merula asked, her left hand cupping her chin and turning her face back forward. 

Mackenzie shifted her eyes down, still unable to bring herself to meet the burning, intoxicating violet of Merula's, but what she did end up looking at only heightened her arousal. Merula's breasts stood firmly on her chest, they were small, still developing as her own were, but they were perfect -- just over palm sized, and topped in light pink.

Mackenzie couldn't remember when she'd realized that she was gay, and her parents still didn't know. She'd just never really been interested in boys, and now, looking down at the slim, lithe, perfect shape in front of her, she was glad if it. Boys, men, in her opinion were too rough, too jagged, and though she could see the appeal in that, the elegant, and curving body of another woman, such as the one before her now, held her attention far better.

"Look at me, Crowley." She heard Merula say, and managed to force her eyes up.

She was met with a look of need in Merula's eyes that she'd never believed could exist. And then felt herself being pushed back, guided by Merula. The back of her legs hit the arm of one of the leather couches in the common room, and Mackenzie let out and slight cry and grabbed for Merula, pulling her down with her, as her knees bent over the arm and she fell backwards onto the seat of the couch.

They both chuckled for a few seconds, but as soon as their eyes settled on each other again the humour was lost.

Mackenzie laid there, the cold leather on her ass and back, and on top of her, propping herself up with her arms, was Merula.

"Come here." Mackenzie breathed. She reached up her left hand and pulled Merula down by the back of her neck, pressing her lips to hers once again, while her right hand cupped one of Merula's breasts, kneading the flawless mound of flesh.

She heard and felt Merula moaning into their kiss, as her back arched pressing her breast harder onto Mackenzie's hand. 

Not one to leave anything without making a competition of it, Merula took things further. She hardened her kiss, pressing down harder and driving her tongue deeper. Then, using her left elbow to keep her weight, she slid her right hand down between the two of them.

Mackenzie was on fire now. All of the build up, all of the stress and the annoyance she'd held for this girl since their date, all the kisses and the tracing of fingers since this evening had began, it had all lead to this. She felt, almost in slow motion, Merula's hand slide down between the two of them -

_I'm dreaming. Fuck!_

\- her skin brushing against Mackenzie's as it did. Mackenzie knew that the slightest touch down there and Merula would... Too late.

Merula pressed her fingers flat on to Mackenzie's wet folds, moaning her appreciation into their kiss. Then, Mackenzie's orgasm which had been brimming, brought on so swiftly by circumstance, slammed into her as Merula slid her fingers up and struck her clit.

Mackenzie felt her back arch upward, and her right hand move down in a flash to grab Merula's, intent on pressing the girl's fingers inside her... But the hand was gone.

Instead of Merula's hand, she found her own nightdress, and her thoroughly sodden underwear. Instead of the naked, flawless, smooth body of Merula on top of her, she found stifling sheets and a duvet. Instead of cold leather pressing to her bare back and ass, she felt underwear, nightdress, and a mattress.

She opened her eyes and was met with darkness. As they adjusted she was just able to barely make out the curtains that hung around her bed, and even with her orgasm still there, though fading quickly, she sighed dejectedly.

 _How many is that now? Four._

It had been a week since her date with Merula. A week since Merula had tricked her into a corner, cursed her, teased and toyed with her, tortured her with a kiss that never happened, admitted her desires for her, and then pushed her away. A week. Seven whole days, and out of those seven nights Mackenzie had woken up, hot, breathing hard, and post-orgasm on four of them.

Two weeks ago, sex was something Mackenzie knew existed, and she was beginning to get curious about, but now it was on her mind whenever her mind wasn't otherwise occupied. Two weeks ago, Mackenzie hadn't masturbated yet, again she knew what it was, but hadn't quite understood why it was such a big deal. Since that night though, the night of her date, she'd found herself touching herself, desperately working to relieve some of the tension that built within her daily.

She'd found herself wondering if this was what her life would be like for the rest of her time at Hogwarts. She wondered how the fifth, sixth, and seventh years got anything done. Or, she found herself wondering, was she the only one suffering like this? Did Merula feel the same way? She knew enough about sex through innuendo and common sense that it was something people enjoyed, something people would base life decisions around, people liked it -- but so far her only experiences with it were dreams that left her physically satiated, but emotionally raw.

She'd been tempted, as pathetic as it sounded, to ask her mother or even madam Pomfrey for, she didn't know, advice in dealing with it. She hadn't though. The thought of asking madam Pomfrey was just too embarrassing, and if she had asked her mum -- she'd probably end up needing to explain that she was gay. That being said, mind, she didn't know why she was so worried about that.

It was the '80s. Sure the Muggle world was still behind the curve when it came to this sort of thing, but she'd never seen, read, or heard of any discrimination against lesbians or gays within the magical community, and her parents had always been supportive of her in everything else.

Maybe she should send a letter, it'd be less awkward than face to face.

_What about Merula? Is she having dreams like this, too?_

Mackenzie then realised that she'd subconsciously eased the hem of her nightdress up and her hand under the waistband of her underwear. Two weeks ago she'd only worn underwear occasionally when sleeping, but since the dreams started, she'd taken to wearing them every night.

She slid her hand down and began pressing and playing with her clit. Closing her eyes and thinking back to the dream she had just had. She should have figured it was dream from the get-go. Merula appearing out of thin air. Her wand just vanishing. The fact her thoughts felt like they were pushing through porridge to make themselves known.

Still. What a dream. 

She bit her lip, desperate to keep her mouth closed and the noise down as she strummed herself closer and closer to the edge again. Her back arched, and she used the opportunity to use her other hand to push her underwear down, freeing her working hand to a full range of movement.

She slipped her right hand down and pressed two fingers up inside herself, working hard to keep herself quiet as she felt herself stretch open to accommodate them. Her left hand she brought to where her right had just been, and took to once again flicking at her clit.

Her second orgasm was building fast, and she felt the boiling mass of electric pink building in her abdomen. She increased the pace her fingers worked. Pressing in and out, as her left middle finger rubbed and flicked desperately.

Her stomach muscles tightened, and she felt her pussy clamp down on her fingers. Her right hand became far slicker and wetter than it had been moments ago, and her orgasm -- the boiling mass of pink in her abdomen, crashed through her like a wave. Her entire mind sparked and went dark for a few moments. Drowned in bright pink electric water. Bolts of pleasure being the only thing she could register, that and the desperate action of keeping her mouth shut.

Slamming back to reality, the bright pink rapidly boiling away as her orgasm left her, she needed to breathe. She opened her mouth and did her best to gasp and pant as quietly as she could. She left her hands where they were, resting just above and beside her crotch.

Sleep came again pretty quickly.

___

The next morning came as every weekday did, only this time Mackenzie awoke with her underwear halfway down her legs, but at least she awoke semi-content, if tired.

"Morning Mackenzie." She heard Rowan call from her bed opposite.

"Morning." She replied, quickly moving to reset her underwear before stepping out from the curtains into the dorm proper.

"Not breakfast first?" Rowan asked, noting that she was still wearing her nightdress. 

"Not today. I need a shower first, I-" Mackenzie made a show of feigning to smell herself, "I definitely need a shower first." She was lying, she smelt fine and could easily have pulled breakfast before showering, but that wasn't what she wanted to deal with.

"Fair enough, I'll shower first, too. Save you eating alone." Rowan replied, mirroring Mackenzie in bundling both towels and uniform under their arms.

"Thanks, I could use the company." Mackenzie replied. She couldn't bring herself to tell Rowan, despite her being her best friend, but she did truly appreciate her company.

The two moved out of the girls dorm, and through the common room toward the showers. They attracted gazes from other Slytherins, but not as many as the 6th and 7th years did. Mackenzie, couldn't lie, she liked the attention. She liked the fact she was getting old enough, and developing enough, to attract attention -- it made her feel pretty, made her feel attractive.

The two moved through into the girls' showers, and stepped into their own individual cubicles.

Mackenzie hung up her uniform and towels before setting the shower running, the heavy rounded cross-shaped tap squeaking slightly as she turned it. The water being, as she delightfully discovered in year 1, enchanted to always be the perfect temperature.

The water crashed down onto her, obliterating what volume her hair held under the weight of the water. It was an easy fix, just a simple spell.

As the hot water washed her clean and melted the tension in her shoulders, her mind wandered.

She hadn't seen much of Merula since their date, not outside of her dreams anyway. That wasn't unusual though. Merula wasn't avoiding her, she'd still sit in her customary seat beside her during Potions, and her behaviour hadn't changed... She was still the abrasive, offensive, cruel girl that Mackenzie had fallen for. She had hoped that, after their date, Merula would have opened up and acted warmer toward her -- but with that day ending how it did, with Merula's admission of her feelings and subsequent reinforcement of her defenses, Mackenzie knew that wouldn't happen now. No. Merula had gone back to her status quo of keeping everybody at arms length. She was scared of having a relationship, scared of being hurt again, though she'd never admit it. She'd rather be alone, than be with the person she wanted to be with.

Mackenzie had sworn, that very night, that she'd prove it to the stubborn, pigheaded girl that she wasn't going anywhere, and that no matter what Merula said, or did, that she'd always be there for her. She'd ware her down. She'd prove that Merula's fears were baseless. It'd take time, she was sure, but with the ball, Christmas, and their date -- Mackenzie felt she was off to a good start. 

Her mind then split off on a tangent.

_Is Merula having dreams about me?_

Time was, as with every weekday morning, at a premium. She shook herself from her thoughts and rapidly scrubbed herself clean and washed her hair.

Turning the water off, she padded over the wet floor and snatched up her wand.

"Aer Calidus." She spoke, a stream of hot air erupting from the tip.

She played it over her skin. The jet of warmth feeling wonderful as it dried her. Using it on her hair took a might longer, but soon enough she was bone try, save her feet, and she set about pulling on her uniform, using the spell again on her feet just prior to pulling on her tights and shoes.

Bundling up her towels and nightdress, the towels she would normally have used were she not in a rush, she unlocked the cubicle door and pulled it open, just as Merula stepped in to the girls' showers.

"Crowley." She said coldly.

"Merula." Mackenzie replied, not closing the cubicle door, and instead holding it open so Merula could enter it, her uniform clutched under her arm being evidence that she was planning to shower. "Sorry." she continued, whispering it as Merula passed, "You'll have to get here earlier if you want to catch me showering."

Merula turned to retort, but Mackenzie was already moving out of the showers, back into the common room.

___

The day passed as any other. Lessons going well, and Mackenzie truly loved learning all about magic and it's many facets. She'd had lunch with Charlie, him going on and on about dragons with another awkward, and by now unnecessary, apology about her date. After her evening meal, however, Mackenzie went to the owlery, instead of straight back to the common room.

Ascending the steps to the tower, she entered the vast and cold room. Using Scourgify on one of the tables there, she laid out a sheet of parchment, retrieved her quill and ink from her satchel and set about writing.

_|| Dear Mum._

_I know I don't write often, and your immediate thoughts would be of worry, but don't fret, I'm quite alright. ||_

She paused, unsure what to write. Putting this in a letter is far less awkward than a face to face would be, but still plenty awkward enough.

_|| Well I'm not sick, anyway._

_I've got a problem, Mum, and I can't think of anyone else to go to._

_There's a girl in my house, I like her -- a lot. She likes me, and I know she does, she admitted it, but she's scared and she won't open up to me._

_Now, I know me being gay might be a shock, or maybe it isn't, I don't know. I just don't know what to do about this. I felt this way about her for a while now, a year or two, I think._

_I think, I believe that the best thing I could do is just be there? Convince her that I'm not a threat, and that she could, I don't know, let me in. Does that sound about right? ||_

She stopped again, reloading her quill. Her heart was in her throat, but she needed advice and her and her mum and always talked openly in the past.

_|| There's something else as well._

_Mum, if dad is reading this, can you please stop him. I need your help with something else and, just please. ||_

She then continued on a separate sheet.

_|| Mum I keep having dreams and stuff about this girl, and I keeping feeling -_

_I don't know what to write._

_I feel, I don't know. You were my age once. I'm feeling like that. You know, like "that"._

_It's keeping me awake. The dreams are waking me up, and I'm struggling with it._

_I don't know really what I expect in response, but if you have any advice, please._

_I'm sorry. I know this is awkward. You are the only person I can talk to about it._

_I love you, give Dad my love._

_Mackenzie_. ||

She folded the parchment and tied it closed before sending it on its way.

Part of her was terrified, and it wouldn't be silenced, even though she knew her mother was open and had always helped her in the past -- a trait that had only become more prominent since Jacob disappeared.

She shook her head, trying to shift the thoughts, and made for the common room, wondering if she'd be visited in her dreams again tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

[[[ Several months have passed since the last chapter, Mackenzie has studied, and subsequently battled an Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest. In addition, she has gone through a testing process and been awarded the privilege of being a Slytherin prefect at the start of her fifth year. This chapter takes place after defeating the Acromantula, but just before the end of her fourth year at Hogwarts. It still follows Mackenzie Crowley, who is assuming the role of the protagonist in Hogwarts Mystery. It will still make very little sense if you are unfamiliar with the game. ]]]

[[[ Be a bit shorter, this chapter, but then not all chapters are created equal, as is evident by the modest length of part 1, when compared to 2 and 3. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 4.**

Mackenzie walked back toward the Slytherin dormitory, her meeting with Professor Dumbledore instead turning into a brief exchange with Rakepick, the Headmaster apparently being predisposed. She was thankful, if she was honest, as she didn't much fancy facing Dumbledore, not after he had caught and scolded her exiting the Vault in the forest. Starting next year, she would likely be the only prefect in Hogwarts that began the school term in detention -- and she wasn't exactly confident that Dumbledore wouldn't further strike her with a house point deduction, and that she would be the reason that Slytherin lost the house cup this year. Something she'd never live down.. especially being a prefect. 

Despite her relief at the Professor's absence, she was still concerned that Madam Rakepick, well, Professor Rakepick, she supposed now, would be her Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher starting next year. She was grateful that she'd have someone powerful and competent teaching the class, better than who was currently teaching it, but Rakepick made her uneasy. She didn't trust her, and she wasn't alone. Rowan didn't either, neither did any of her friends, for that matter. Merula seemed to, but Mackenzie was concerned, deeply concerned, that Rakepick was exploiting Merula's desire for a mother-figure. Taking advantage of the girl's weakness, and Mackenzie wasn't looking forward to the fallout if she turned out to be correct.

Moving down toward the dungeons, she ducked into a corner and grabbed a folded up piece of parchment from her satchel. It was the letter she'd received in reply to her own, from her mother, quite a while ago. She liked to keep it with her, not entirely sure why, but it gave her a sense of comfort when she read it. 

She unfolded the parchment and re-read the letter, for what felt like the hundredth time.

_|| Mackenzie._

_Your letter caught me quite unprepared, which is quite an indictment of me. You're growing up, and becoming an intelligent, thoughtful, and beautiful young woman -- but I continued to see you as just my little girl, and I'm sorry for that. ||_

She smiled, always amused that the first thing her mother did was apologize.

_|| A letter can't convey how excited I am for you. This girl, whoever she is, must be someone truly special to have caught your eye. You forgot, I'm assuming, to mention the name of this girl... But I'm sure you'll correct that soon. Right? A mum needs details, you know._

_(You mentioned she was in Slytherin, with you. Is this that Rowan, that you talk so much about? She seems like a lovely young woman). ||_

Her smile broadened further. She'd never considered Rowan as a romantic possibility until after the first time she'd read this. Rowan was great, but Mackenzie just didn't see her that way, and she was pretty sure Rowan felt the same. She'd been pretty star struck, and crushing heavily on, Bill Weasley for the longest time -- so Mackenzie was pretty sure that Rowan didn't swing the way she did.

_|| Anyway, to save me prattling on._

_You've never been one to take the easy road, sweetheart, and it seems you've taken the difficulty path yet again. Difficult things, however, are often worth it in the end._

_Your instincts in regard to it match my own. Whoever this girl is, I'm assuming she was hurt in the past by someone she was close to -- and if that is the case, it may take a long time to get her to open up to you. I agree, though, with what you said. Just be there for her._

_Remind her that you are there for her, even if she seems to ignore you. Find ways of showing her how your feel, in ways beyond words. I could give examples, but not knowing this girl, I'd be swinging in the dark. ||_

This bit had confused Mackenzie initially, she couldn't think of ways to show Merula how she felt beyond words and... And all they things that crept into her mind when it idled, but those things, she was pretty sure, were almost exclusively reserved for those in a relationship.

That being said, in the last few weeks she had began to consider alternate ways to A- inform Merula of her feelings, the feelings that Merula was already aware of but was hoping would waver, and B- annoy Merula just enough to make it amusing. 

Since their clash all those months ago, a lot had happened. Mackenzie had studied hard, bloody hard, and worked hard, too, to prove to Snape, and Professor Dumbledore, that she was worthy of being a Perfect. She'd also had all her classes, not to mention the extra-curricular activities she had undertaken, such as fighting an Acromantula, locating and opening another cursed vault, and ending the Sleep-walking curse. Ontop of that, she'd had to crush a rumour that she fancied Barnaby, a rumour that Merula had started, her openly telling Mackenzie so in a potions class. Then there was the entire Ben trying to kill her incident, she still had no clue what to do about that, and didn't buy Ben's "I can't remember it" excuse for a second... And through it all, she had had Merula constantly making jibes and venomous insults directed at her -- so, Mackenzie had no issue annoying the girl in response. Merula, after all, looked cute when she was annoyed.

_|| Were it not for the fact you say that this girl has confessed that she feels the same for you, I'd warn you against the pitfalls of unrequited affection. In this case, however, it seems more that she is scared of getting hurt -- which is definitely something that can be overcome._

_It is a difficult line you must walk, Mackenzie. You need to walk the line between respecting her wishes, and challenging her fears. You need to be compassionate, but simultaneously need to force her out of her comfort zone. It will not be easy, and it may take some time... But good things often do._

_As for your attraction to girls, darling, no, your father and I were not surprised. We had our suspicions, but we were committed to allowing you to discover yourself, without any interference from us. Now that you have, we both wish you the best of luck, and we hope one day to meet this mystery girl that has you so enraptured._

___

_As for your other issue, I must confess a slight feeling of jealousy. You are about to begin one of the most exciting portions of your life, Mackenzie, though I know it may not seem like that now. ||_

Mackenzie had almost scoffed aloud when she first read that part. Not understanding, even for a moment, what her mother could possibly be jealous of, or how the random flares of warmth and need between her legs could ever be a good thing... But she'd been wrong.

_|| I am proud, I must admit, that you felt you could talk to me about this, to be so open with me about something that people often hold so private._

_I wasn't lying. You are about to dive into one of the most exciting periods of your life, but that doesn't mean it will be easy. These feelings you speak of, they'll calm after a while but they'll never leave you -- it's part of growing up, of becoming a woman._

_The only advice I can give is to explore yourself. Take the time to find a private space and discover yourself, and the things that make you happy, and do what you can to satiate yourself. I know you weren't expecting that from your old mum, but that's all there is, I'm afraid. What you're doing now, and the desires you are now experiencing, are normal and natural. You are not alone, every woman has been through this, and your peers are either going through it themselves, or soon will be. ||_

Her mother had been right about that. Mackenzie hadn't expected, not for a moment, that her mother would pretty much tell her, in no uncertain terms, to start touching herself.

_|| You have nothing to feel ashamed about._

_You'll feel urges and desires to do all sorts of things, especially the likes I imagine are being visited upon you in your dreams. Were I to tell you to ignore these desires and urges, and never act on them, I'd be a hypocrite. I was in your position once, as you quite rightly assumed, and I did not have much in the way of restraint. I have no regrets, Mackenzie, but I know plenty of people that do. So, instead of telling you to ignore and supress these drives that you are, or will soon be, feeling, I will instead say this:_

_Be careful, Mackenzie. Don't be in such a rush to do the slightest thing that pops into your head, no matter how appealing it seems, or how passionately another may sell it to you. Your body and your heart are your own, and they are the only ones you will ever have. Do your due diligence, sweetheart, and don't rush into anything. But, at the same time, enjoy life -- you only get to live it once._

_If you need anything, especially in regard to this mystery girl, your father and I will do what we can to help._

_We both love you, Mackenzie. So much._

_We are so proud of you._

_Love Mum and Dad. ||_

She smiled, looking at the letter for a few more moments before folding it up and placing it back into her satchel.

The first time she'd read that she'd been so embarrassed. Her mother telling her to start touching herself. Her mother informing her that most of her peers were, most likely, doing the same already. Her mother telling her that, when she was at Hogwarts, she had done much more in regards to her sexual awakening. All of that, and then the section where her mother had practically given her blessing to Mackenzie having sex.

She'd been embarrassed, shocked, even appalled in some ways. She'd gotten so close to throwing the letter in the fireplace in the Slytherin common room -- but she was happy she hadn't.

After she'd calmed, and read the letter again a few times, she realized that her mother was simply doing what her mother had always done. She'd been supporting her. Not judging, not forcing her beliefs or opinions on her. She'd just been advising her, and supporting her, as she always had.

"Wait..." She muttered, suddenly remembering something, before gazing at the white and gold watch on her right wrist. 

_That explains it._ She thought.

Why the corridors were so empty. Everyone was in the Great hall, for the end of year feast. Still looking at her watch, she had a fair amount of time before the formal announcement of the house cup was made.

More than enough time to- she stopped herself.

She couldn't. Could she?

Another thought flashed across her mind, replacing the self-gratifying one that had been there moments before.

A smile pulled at her mouth, and she continued toward the common room, her pace quicker than it had been previously.

Stepping in, the common room was predictably deserted, and she swept through toward the dormitories. Opening the door, the took the stairs and stepped into the girls dorm.

As she moved through, completely bypassing her bed, she reached into her satchel and snatched out a sheet of spare parchment. 

Reaching Merula's bed, she moved over and kneeled by the trunk at the foot of the bed, before snatching a quill and ink from her satchel, placing both them and the parchment down on the lid of the trunk. Opening the bottle of ink, she dipped her quill in the black liquid and hastily scribbled a note.

_|| Sorry, Merula._

_I still don't hate you._

_x ||_

She smiled, blowing the ink dry, before folding the parchment and placing it on her pillow.

"Care to explain yourself, Crowley." A familiar, acerbic voice sounded from behind her.

What Mackenzie did next, she was not proud of. She'd fought Yetis, Werewolves, an Acromantula... But suddenly hearing Professor Snape sound from behind her, where she'd previously thought was no-one, made her cry out in surprise.

"Fuck!" She quickly snatched up the ink and quill, hiding them behind her back as she turned to face him. "Sorry, Professor. You startled me. H- how do you do that? Move so quietly."

"Poise." He answered with his usual sarcasm, "What are you doing by Miss Snyde's bed, Crowley, and why are you not at the feast."

"Why aren't you?" Mackenzie replied, having learned over the years that Snape liked her more than he let on, and that she could push him just a bit, and did so at every opportunity.

"I came wondering where a troublesome, and yet somehow, future prefect from my house was -- a she was missing from the feast. Answer the question, Crowley, or you'll find your coming detention far more unpleasant." He replied, his shoulders squaring slightly, a sign Mackenzie had also picked up on, a sign that informed her that her previous push was her one and only for this specific conversation.

"I was just leaving her a note. In case I don't get to see her before we all leave." Mackenzie stated, gesturing to the note folded on Merula's pillow.

"I see. Pass it here." Snape held out his hand.

"Professor. The last time you read a note of mine you ended up apolo-" Mackenzie took note of the raising of Snape's eyebrow, "Needing to state fact to me. Maybe it's best I don't."

"Miss Crowley, believe me, I still have zero interest in your personal life -- but preventing bullying, especially within my own house, is one of my duties, and you and miss Snyde have a... Tumultuous relationship. The note." He said flatly, snapping the fingers of his outstretched hand.

Mackenzie lowered her head before taking a step back and picking up the note, placing it into Snape's hand.

"I'm not bullying her, Professor. Quite the opposite." She said, watching as Snape unfolded the parchment and read it.

His eyes finished scanning the parchment, then flicked up to meet hers.

His expression stayed completely solid. One reading as utter disinterest. But Mackenzie could swear his eyes softened for but a moment.

He refolded the parchment, taking it between his fore and middle finger, before flicking it toward the bed, the parchment flittering and crossing a far greater distance than it should have been able to, before landing perfectly in the center of Merula's pillow.

"As... Unpalatable as that was, it is not in violation of any rules -- despite me passionately wishing it were. However, you, Miss Crowley, are still late for the feast. You had best be in your seat by the time I get there, or you'll start next year with minus house points, something rather embarrassing for a brand new prefect." Snape said, his voice still flat, as he gestured to the door.

"Thank you, Professor." Mackenzie smiled before moving swiftly toward the door, pausing briefly, "Have a good summer, Professor."

"Quickly, Crowley. I move swiftly, as well as quietly." He replied.

She smiled and nodded, before opening the door and heading toward the Great Hall.

Stepping out of the Slytherin common room, she swept through the dungeons before ascending toward the main level that housed the Great hall. She didn't know anything about Snape's past, save what she'd gleaned between the lines in their few interactions that weren't entirely cold. 

Regardless of his words, he seemed to be a very emotional soul, though he tried his hardest to conceal it under layers and layers of contempt. She guessed, though a guess was all it was, that he had been bullied during his time as a student, and given what he had said when he'd stated fact to her after reading her note... The bullying had been in regard to his attraction to, she assumed, a fellow student. She smiled. She liked Snape, and just because he was her head of house.

Stepping into the hall she moved swiftly down the Slytherin table, toward a seat Rowan had saved for her. En route she couldn't help but feel a hefty sense of pride at the collosal Slytherin banners that hung from the heights of the Great hall's enchanted ceiling. 

_Another year, another victory_. She thought. _In more ways than one_. Her mind added, as she looked at Merula, catching the ever defiant girl side-eyeing her before returning to talking to Ismelda. 

Her relationship with Merula wasn't what she'd hoped it would be by this point, especially given how the night of their date went, but she still considered it a victory. No matter how much Merula protested not to, both she and her knew how she really felt. Merula had made one big mistake in regard to keeping her cruel veneer intact -- she'd admitted to Mackenzie how she felt. 

Mackenzie snapped her mind to the present as she sat down beside Barnaby and opposite Rowan.

"Thanks for saving me a spot you two." She said warmly.

"Always. Why are you late?" Rowan replied, Mackenzie noting Barnaby also looking either confused or curious -- it was difficult to tell.

He was a sweet boy, Barnaby. And had she been straight, there may well have been some stock in Merula's rumour. But he wasn't the brightest.

"I got held up in Dumbledore's office. He's gone for something or other, and Rakepick is taking up Defence Against the Dark Arts next year." Mackenzie said, her voice low.

"Really? Well, at least we might actually learn something." Rowan responded. She'd had chocue things to say about their Dark Arts professors for years. Every one of them had been useless.

___

The feast was, as expected, brilliant. Mackenzie felt a rush of pride, as did the entire Slytherin table, especially the 7th and 1st years, when they learned that Slytherin had not only won the house cup, as was evident by the décor, but that they'd won by a considerable margin.

After the feast, she made her way back to the dorm, hoping to run into Merula again -- but not finding her, her trunk, or the note, anywhere.

From there, she walked with Rowan, Barnaby, Penny, and Tulip toward the train station before boarding the vast crimson train. She hadn't seen Ben since he had tried to murder her, and that was a good thing. She still wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't jinx the lying little- well, she didn't know if he was lying... But she sure as shit didn't believe him, nor had she forgiven him yet.

Still, she was both excited for and dreading her coming conversation with her parents. She couldn't wait to tell them all about her year, but she wasn't sure about mentioning Merula by name. The Snyde family had, through no fault of Merula's, a certain negative connotation to it, and she wasn't exactly sure if her parents would be as accepting of her as Mackenzie was. Either way, she was certainly hoping they'd still help, as she'd need it for at least one of her plans.

Before boarding the train, she turned back and looked the castle over one last time as a fourth year. It'd been a hell of a year.


	5. Chapter 5

[[[ Several months have passed since the last chapter, and year five has a well and truly begun. Valentine's day looms in the not too distant future, and Beatrice Haywood, the younger sister of Mackenzie's close friend Penny Haywood, has been trapped in a cursed portrait. The Professors have tried what they can but Mackenzie, an others, believe to save the young girl is to find, and break the curse on, the next cursed vault. Madam, now Professor, Rakepick has assembled a team to do specifically that. This team is made of Mackenzie Crowley, Bill Weasley, and Merula Snyde. Still, with all that happening around her, Mackenzie can't stop her mind from focusing on matters of the heart. This story still follows Mackenzie Crowley, who is assuming the role of the protagonist in Hogwarts Mystery. It will still make very little sense if you are unfamiliar with the game. ]]]

[[[ Some of this, especially to (I hope) adult readers, may seem unnecessarily cringey -- but please remember these characters are 15 years old. Another thing, please understand that this, and the game it is based off, is set in the '80s. Lastly, I wanted to do the contents of this part because, honestly, I kind of wish the game would refer to choices made in TLSQs more frequently -- though I understand why it doesn't. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 5.**

Mackenzie moved into the Great Hall, rubbing her aching eyes and yawning. She'd spent most the night sitting on her bed, wand ablaze with light, reading a book on magical portraits that she had checked out from the library. It hadn't helped much, and she was sure that at some point in the future she'd only need to study the accursed things more anyway.

"Mackenzie! Saved you a spot." Rowan called out, snapping her from her thoughts.

She smiled and swept over toward her friend, sitting down beside her. The breakfast before her was the usual, and she eagerly piled her plate with bacon, egg, tomatoes, and anything else that took her fancy. She scanned up and down the long Slytherin table, her eyes snagging and hanging on Merula, the violet eyed girl laughing and mid conversation with the ever brooding Ismelda Murk.

"So," Rowan began, nudging her and recapturing her attention before smiling, her undoubtedly having seen her looking at Merula again. "Valentine's Day is soon. Any plans?" 

"Really? With everything that's happened this year? You think I'm thinking about Valentine's Day?" Mackenzie scoffed, her cheeks warming slightly as she began eating, folding up an entire slice of bacon before stuffing it into her mouth whole.

"Uh-huh. That's exacly what I think you're thinking about." Rowan replied, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yeah, what - umm, so, what's going on with you and Merula? You had that date last year, but then everything sort of went back to normal, with her being... well, her." Barnaby chimed in, impaling a cooked tomato on his fork before devouring it, looking uncharacteristically nervous. Barnaby often looked confused, but never nervous.

"No, um, nothing. The date was... good." Mackenzie smiled remembering back to their evening in the courtyard, "But, Merula didn't think it could lead anywhere and, well, it takes two to make a relationship work. So..."

"And what about you, what do you think?" Rowan asked.

"It doesn't really matter what I think. Unless she changes her mind, my opinion counts for very little."

Rowan opened her mouth to speak, but the cry of a flock of owls silenced her. High up in the rafters, dozens of owls of varying sizes and colours all flew in through the opening in the roof. The flock then split apart and headed toward their respective targets, dropping off newspapers, letters, and in some cases packages for the students assembled in the hall. One owl took Mackenzie's attention.

 _Shit, it's near Valentine's._ She thought, remembering the plan she had hatched with her parents over the summer holiday. _That means that..._

Her thought trailed off as her father's owl, one she hardly every saw, peeled from the flock and dropped a small cylindrical parcel on the table directly in front of Merula.

"Woah, hey, look. Merula's got something. She never gets mail, like ever." Barnaby said quietly, him and Rowan looking down the table to watch.

Mackenzie looked on as well, trying to wear and expression of intrigue, despite knowing exactly what was in the parcel, as she had wrapped it.

Merula's expression was one of confusion, as she really never did recieve any mail. After having the package shoved at her by Ismelda, she finally snapped back to reality and opened the paper wrapped tube. Up-ending it, a black quill fell from the package and landed on the wooden tabletop. Her expression changed immediately as she grabbed it and looked over at Mackenzie, a smirk on her face.

It was difficult for Mackenzie to mock an expression of desperate intrigue, but she thought she pulled it off as Merula stuffed the quill into her satchel.

Mackeznie had chosen to transfigure what she'd made into a black quill, identical to the ones that had contained clues relating to the Cursed Vaults and R, for a number of reasons. One, it would be far easier to get it sent via Owl Post, compared to what it actually was. Two, it wouldn't raise any questions from anyone outside of their little vault-hunting group. And three, it would guarantee that Merula would thoroughly inspect what it was after removing the transfiguration that Mackenzie had had her mother put on it.

Merula got up, a slice of toast hanging from between her teeth, and moved toward the exit. As she reached level with Mackenzie, she snatched the toast from her mouth and paused to speak.

"Looks like that clue's meant for me, Crowley." She sneered.

"Rakepick put you two together. You have to tell her what it says." Rowan interjected.

"Pft, says who?" Ismelda replied, a cock-sure smile on her half hidden face.

"Oh, I'll be sure to share anything that Crowley needs to know." Merula said, "But maybe she deosn't need to know, I mean it was sent to me." 

"Whatever you say Merula, but be careful. All the other quills were found, they weren't sent to anyone." Mackenzie spoke up, deciding she better say something, else it would be suspicious. "I should be there when you check it, just in case."

"In case what? I'm the most powerful Witch at Hogwarts. I think I've got it handled." She laughed, before heading out, Ismelda following her.

Mackenzie's stomach knotted up. She hadn't counted on Ismelda. She really hoped that Merula would stick to her usual behaviour, and insist on examining the quill alone. The last thing she needed was Ismelda discovering what she'd done.

The rest of the day would have, were it not for the nerves coiling around her stomach, been a very successful and pleasant one. Professor Flitwick and taught them the Silencing charm, and Kettleburn's lecture on Fairies had been as entertaining as his lessons always were. She'd finally got to meet the Hufflepuff House Ghost, and she'd spent some time with Penny, trying to help her with the ordeal of having her sister trapped in a cursed painting. The entire time however, all she could feel was dread, a dread made worse every time she clapped eyes on Merula.

Thankfully, in some ways, the day ended soon enough. Mackenzie laid on her bed, curtains partially drawn, working on the homework assignment that Kettleburn had set them. Across the way, opposite her, Rowan was doing the same. Mackenzie couldn't much focus, mind. Her mind and stomach were still munching and chewing over all the ways her plan, a plan that she had originally been so proud of, could backfire horribly... and then there was the dull, warm, ache that had been present since about noon. Normally she would have excused herself to a bathroom to take care of herself, but just hadn't found the time today -- especially seeing as she was terrified that she'd go to the bathroom, masturbate, then come back to find everyone laughing at her, or embarrassed for her, after Merula had told them all what the quill contained.

"Fuck it." She said under her breath, tapping her quill dry and replacing the stopper of the ink well.

"Problems?" Rowan said, overhearing her. "I can help, if you'd like?" 

"No, it's fine. Thanks though, just can't focus right now." She replied, sticking the parchment on the chest of drawers beside her bed.

"The quill?"

"That, and Beatrice." Mackenzie pseudo-lied. "I'll get to it tomorrow, when I can think straight. Sleep will help, hopefully."

"Okay. Goodnight." Rowan smiled, returning to her work.

"G'night." Mackeznie replied, before crawling over and pulling the green curtains all the way closed.

 _What the fuck were you thinking? Singing?_ She thought, her fear now turning into self-focused anger. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, when she was safe at home, and was only thinking of Merula.

Mackenzie could sing, everyone knew that. She'd been accepted to the frog choir, but had allowed Merula to take the spot instead. She could sing, but she never did, so she'd decided to sing for Merula. It was another way of showing her how much she cared and how she felt. Merula loved music, and the fact that she was willing to so thoroughly embarrass herself by singing to her... that must count for something. 

She'd spent days, weeks, agonising over what song. She'd listened to every single one of the popular love songs that were played over the wizarding radio, but they all seemed too generic. It had been her dad that had finally suggested something that, at the time, had seemed so smart. Her father collected muggle music, he liked it. It was "more authentic than the enchanted magical variety" or so he said. More than that though, it allowed her to sing Merula a song she, a Pureblood, would never have heard before.

So she'd sat down with her dad, listened to some of his records, and picked one. They'd headed to london and found a version without vocals and picked it up.

She'd then, having her room magically sound proofed, and the lyrics written out, played the version she bought while singing the lyrics herself, the entire thing being recorded onto a seperate record. She'd listened it back, and had been happy with the quality of not only the recording, but also of her singing. 

After that it was a simple task of asking her mother to transfigure the record into a black quill. Mackenzie coud have done it herself, but transfiguration wasn't her strongest school of magic, despite being an animagus, and she didn't want to risk damaging the record by messing up the spell.

 _I can sing._ She thought to herself. _I can sing, and Merula has nothing to gain from thoroughly embarrassing me._ Then her mind replayed the night of their first date. _Unless, unless she truly believes she's no good... then she might do it just to try and drive me away._

_Shit._

Time passed and the dorm fell to darkness as one by one the other students doused their lights, the enchanted lighting dimmed, and everyone fell asleep... everyone except Mackenzie.

She tossed and turned. She stretched herself out, then when that failed she curled up in a ball. She laid on her left, her right, her front, and her back. Arm under her pillow, arms above her head. By the time she decided that the pressure between her legs needed attention, she assumed she must have tried every possible sleeping positon know to mankind. But even then, even upon her decision to address her needs, satisfaction was robbed from her.

Reaching down to press her underwear down, a sound snatched her attention. 

There were days when she loathed being close to the dormitory door, but there were other days -- days like today, when she was truly thankful of it.

Hearing the door quietly open, far too quietly to awaken anyone, she peered out and saw a familiar figure walking out toward the common room, a vinyl record in hand.

 _Shit._ She thought, sliding her legs out of the bed and quietly padding toward the door, snatching her wand up as she went.

Gently pulling the door open, she followed Merula into the common room. There, she found her placing the vinyl onto the gramophone found there. Focusing her mind, Mackenzie shrank down to the form of a small dog, her Animagus form, and hid as best she could.

"Right, let's see what this is." Merula muttered, sliding her hand across the volume control on the gramophone, turning the volume down so as to not disturb the sleeping students.

Mackenzie shrank further, not physically, but her nerves made her feel smaller still.

Striking her finger across the gramophone brake, the latch releasing and the recording spinning, she was taken aback as the first musical notes spilled out, muted by the volume limit she had imposed.

"What the hell?" She hissed, "What is this?" 

It was then Mackenzie's voice that spilled from the gramophone, barely audible from Mackenzie's position, lurking by the door.

_// Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game._

_On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame._

_Turning and returning to some secret place inside._

_Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say._

_Take my breath away.//_

"The fuck? Crowley..." She hissed again, moving to grab the record but stopping just shy.

_// Watching I keep waiting, still anticipating love._

_Never hesitating to become the fated ones._

_Turning and returning to some secret place inside._

_Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say._

_Take my breath away. //_

Slowly she pulled her hand back and instead leaned forward, resting her weight on the table, stealing a glance back over her shoulder toward the dormitory door, not seeing the small dog hiding in the shadows.

Mackenzie's tail was wagging. She hadn't just destroyed the record, nor had she stormed off. She was listening to it... enjoying it, even.

There wasn't much left, it wasn't a terribly long song.

Mackenzie thought hard and returned to her normal body, before gently, gingerly opening the door and returning to the dormitory.

Laying in her bed, on her customary left hand side, she waited. And waited.

Eventually she heard the door open again. She consciously steadied her breathing, adopting a sleeping breath rate, and pretended to be asleep, but left one eye open, albeit barely.

Through her scarcely open eye she saw her curtain open slightly. Without opening her eyes further she couldn't make out anything, but knew it was Merula... she could recognise the smell of her. An intoxicating mixture of cloves, nail polish, and something else. Even after five years, she still couldn't identify the smell. She attributed it to her shampoo, though that still didn't help her figure out what it was.

She wanted, so badly, to see her face. To get some hint, some indication of how she was feeling after listening to the record. But she daren't open her eyes any more.

The figure of Merula, just an eyelash obscured object in the darkness, shifted, her left hand reaching forward before gently stroking Mackenzie's hair back behind her ear. Mackenzie played the part and shifted slightly, as if her sleep was mildly disturbed by the contact.

Her heart leapt. She had to fight to suppress a smile, to not grab this girl, this girl that makes her life brilliantly unbearable, by the wrist and pull her down on top of her -- but she managed it.

The figure of Merula stepped back, and the curtain fell closed. The moment it did, Mackenzie's eye opened fully.

 _YES!_ She thought. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, and the buttlerflies in her stomach were dancing to it.

She smiled, pure happiness washing through her. She knew Merula well enough, she knew she wouldn't say anything about it -- not unless Mackenzie asked, and she wouldn't. But she knew Merula had listened to it, to every word... and she knew she'd liked it.

She laid there for a few moments, unable and unwilling to remove the smile from her face. With thoughts of Merula swimming through her mind, and the smell of cloves, nail polish, and whatever other intoxicating fragrance she wore still fogging her senses... Mackenzie slipped her hand down her stomach, hitched her night dress up, and pressed her fingers beneath the waistband of her underwear.

She closed her eyes and focused on the image of Merula. She, just in her dreams that had been visited upon her with wondrous frequency, shed her nightdress. Her violet eyes sparking with only the most base intent, a look that Mackenzie had actually seen, so long ago, the night after their first date.

She shifted her fingers further down before resting her middle upon the sensitive nub of her clit. It hadn't taken her long, after first beginning to explore herself, to find exactly how much pleasure such a small part of her body could bring.

Her breaths started shaking as she began pressing and rubbing firmly on her clit, waves of pleasure rushinh through her before lapping back into her abdomen. Each new wave filling her higher and higher, and she knew exactly what would happen when she finally overflowed.

Biting her bottom lip to stifle what sounds she could, she rolled onto her back, her hips rolling and pressing firmly against her fingers. She now had the flat of her fingers, three of them now, pressed against her clit and rubbing roughly. The pressure of her pressing down, and her hips rolling, was pushing her closer and closer.

She moved her left hand up in a flash and bit down on the flesh on her index finger.

 _Does she know?_ She thought, images of Merula watching her moving to the forefront of her mind. Her standing next to her, right now, having come back, and watching her get herself off. _Does she know she makes me do this? Does she?_

"Fuck." She whispered, her voice practically inaudible.

Her left hand dropped back down to the bed, gripping on the bed sheets as her back arched.

"Fuck. Merula." She whispered again, as she rubbed faster and faster as the sparking pink threatened to smash her senseless again, like it had so many times, and just like she wanted -- needed it to.

She came. Hard. The pressure that had built inside her releasing all at once.

She gripped, the bed sheet bunching up in her grasp as she clenched her jaw and fought to remain silent. Her limbs became light, and every thought vanished. Nothing existed except the pink water she was floating in.

It took what felt like ten, fifteen seconds before the pleasure subsided and her senses returned.

She was breathing heavily and turned to see if Merula was indeed there, as she had imagined. 

She wasn't.

 _One day_. She thought right as she slipped into unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

[[[ Only a week has passed since the last chapter. This chapter takes place at the very end of the Valentine's at Hogwarts TLSQ. Merula Snyde has invited Miss Crowley to the Herbology Greenhouses to enjoy a "secret date". ]]]

[[[ Sorry for the delay. A- I was waiting to play this quest to see what I had to work with, and then upon completing it I just haven't found time. Then of course, B- The Lockdown instituted to curb the spread of COVID-19 has thrown my entire schedule into disarray -- so I'm just not find time to write. There may well be another delay after, or soon after, this part while I work through the game some more. The last thing I want to do is write something that violates the game's internal canon, simply because I wanted to write. This story is not going to die until it ends naturaly, as long as I play HPHM, my motivation to write this doesn't waver -- and I'm not going to stop playing that game any time soon, as it's brilliant. ]]]

[[[ Last little announcement, for those that haven't seen, a picture has been added to Part 1, to show what Mackenzie Crowley actually looks like. I'm no artist, so it's just a screen cap. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 6.**

It had been a chaotic affair: Valentine's Day. Mackenzie had entered with such hopes, plans to once again try and get through to the ever stubborn Merula Snyde... But it had all swiftly gone awry.

She'd been excited when she'd first heard that Gilderoy Lockhart, the Gilderoy Lockhart, would be visiting the school -- but she'd never for a moment believed that it would very nearly ruin her entire day. Him, and his machinations, mixed with a copious inhalation of Amortentia had made the day stressful, awkward, and thoroughly busy.

The moment she'd walked into Potions Class, she knew what the potion Snape had brewed was. The entire room had smelled of Cloves, Nail Varnish, and that ever elusive extra... The entire room had smelled like Merula. Now, she didn't know if her standing so close to it with her friends had somehow messed with them, or if they all had some sort of low-key crush on her, but the barrage of admissions of romantic intent that she'd received over the next few hours had rapidly gone from flattering to annoying. Even André, who Mackenzie was pretty sure was as straight as she was, had asked her out.

That, combined with Lockhart having her and her friends running errands and listen to him prattle on all day, had come very close to absolutely ruining her day. The son of a bitch had even tried to Obliviate her, well, technical he did Obliviate her -- but it didn't work properly. She couldn't remember everything, but she could remember enough to know that he'd been trying to pull something.

After that, all she'd wanted to do was go to her bed and fume for the rest of the day. Luckily, Merula had had other plans.

Merula had actually asked her out earlier that day, but after the other invitations Mackenzie couldn't help but doubt the sincerity of it. Still, she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity, and she'd gladly sat with her during their time at the tea shop. Merula had looked stunning, as well. Well, she always did, but in-keeping with Lockhart's pink theme, she'd altered the orange lick in her hair to instead be shocking pink, and the outfit she'd worn had looked simply amazing -- right down to the bracelets. Not a single detail had looked off.

Mackenzie could only hope that her ensemble had impressed Merula as equally. She'd taken her, usually neck-line brunette hair, and changed it to a similar length, though center parted, and shocking pink, the same shade Merula had opted for. She'd then worn a short sleeved, similarly coloured dress, matching flats, a double chain necklace, high denier tights, and finally the purple jeweled bracelet she'd worn on their first date. André had described it as a " _heartbreaker_ " look -- but breaking hearts was the last thing on Mackenzie's mind.

Merula had invited her to the Herbology greenhouse, and she'd eagerly headed straight there. What she'd seen had taken her completely by surprise. 

Merula had, through some impressive applications of magic -- the sort Mackenzie had come to expect from her, transformed the greenhouse into a true date venue. She'd walked in and seen, sitting beneath two huge plants forming the shape of a love-heart, Merula, still in her ensemble from the party.

What had followed was, as far as Mackenzie was concerned, perfect.

Merula had, and Mackenzie had no idea when she'd done it but couldn't believe for a moment that it had been today, managed to enchant a half-heart shaped flower stem, complete with budding roses, with a floating green heart made of pure light floating beneath it. Mackenzie had never seen anything like it, and felt so lacking of anything to reciprocate with.

Still, as amazing as the heart was, and as impressive of an admission as it was -- it being permanent, tangible proof of Merula's affections, it paled in comparison to what had followed.

Merula had leaned in, and though Mackenzie had felt nothing but hope she never imagined it would actually happen, and then she'd done it. She'd kissed her.

Feeling Merula's lips part from her cheek, and then seeing her sit back down, her cheeks a shade similar to the lick in her hair, Mackenzie immediately reached out grasped her hand, her other she rested her chin on, absentmindedly stroking the spot Merula had just kissed. 

She knew she should say something, but her mind was so swamped with warmth, that she couldn't formulate a sentence. She hadn't felt this in love with her since their brief exchange in the common room the night of their first date -- before it had all gone wrong. So, she didn't speak. Neither did Merula. Instead, they just sat, looking at each other. Merula's violet eyes shone back at her, nothing but affection in them, not even a hint of the fear or doubt that they usually tried to conceal.

Mackenzie parted her lips and swiftly moistened them with her tongue, before swallowing and going to speak.

"Thank you. Merula. This- this is perfect. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be." She said, gripping her hand even tighter.

"Well, thanks for coming. I... I was worried you wouldn't, and not just because of Lockhart." Merula replied, her smile wavering.

"What do you mean?" She asked, taken aback by the admission.

"Well. I'm not exactly, you know, welcoming. I mean... I've spent pretty much every moment since our last date, our first date, pushing you away and, honestly, I wasn't entirely sure you didn't accept my invite to Lockhart's party purely because everyone was swimming in Love Potion fumes." She began, and just as Mackenzie saw a familiar squaring of the shoulders coming on, the one that usually heralded Merula throwing her walls up again, instead Merula closed her eyes tightly before opening them and continuing -- suppressing her defences for the first time since Mackenzie had known her. "I thought... I thought me pushing you away might have worked, and I would have hated that." She finished speaking, her eye contact having broken a good deal earlier. Then, as if out of shame of admitting her feelings, she went to withdraw her hand. Mackenzie didn't let her however. She didn't give her an inch.

"Merula... You could never push me away. I- you... you're everything. I'm always thinking about you. Even if I'm sitting with Rowan, or talking to Rakepick, or wracking my brain trying to get Beatrice out of that painting... You're always there." She said, taking care to refix, and hold Merula's gaze. "I know you think you're bad news, that I'll - I don't know, figure it out one day and leave but... Merula I. I've heard everything you've said, every word, and I don't buy it. Your not bad news, a bit quirky maybe -" She chuckled, seeing Merula roll her eyes "and your undoubtedly bad news for some. But not me. I- I need you, Merula. I can't imagine a future, right now, that would be better without you."

"Okay, calm down." Merula smiled in response, once again attempting to withdraw her hand, and seeing as the reason was different this time, doing so as Mackenzie loosened her grip. "I thought I said something about not getting too mushy." She said, her tell showing her up again as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Mackenzie sniggered, and side-eyed the floating green heart again. It really was remarkable, and really beautiful.

"You did," she began, looking back at Merula, "How about a dare?" 

"A dare?" Merula asked, her violet eyes sparking to life with that competitive flare that Mackenzie had become so familiar with over the years. She had no doubt that, given the opportunity, Merula would try to cheat with whatever contest or dare that was put before her, but that was part of why she loved her... She was committed, wholeheartedly, to whatever she set her mind to -- and wouldn't let rules stand in her way.

"Yeah, a dare. I dare you to stop considering yourself as some sort of curse, and actually let me in-" Mackenzie began, before Merula attempted to interrupt.

"That's not a dare, that's-" 

"Not done." Mackenzie said, halting Merula's interruption, "If you do, I'll stop being mushy. If you fail, you have to put up with me pouring my heart out."

"That's not a dare, that's an ultimatum wearing a different dress." Merula scoffed, her expression unamused.

"Hey, if you don't think you can do it, all you need to do is concede defeat now and I won't mention it agai-" Mackenzie smiled, as she saw Merula's expression harden.

"Okay, Crowley. Deal." She interjected, her smile returning, warm and sincere.

"Okay. Deal." Mackenzie agreed, smiling.

Dropping her eyes, she drank in every detail of the way Merula looked. Silence hung over them for a few brief seconds, Mackenzie not really noticing that she was sitting silently, just etching every line and curve of Merula, as she looks right now, to memory -- her imagination already spinning, and sending flittering half-thought of what it would be like to remove that outfit, through her mind.

"You're the only one that looks at me like that." Merula said, again rubbing the back of her neck.

Mackenzie snapped her eyes free, suddenly very aware of the creeping need for attention spreading up from between her legs.

"Sorry, I--" She then realized that, just like that, she'd nearly started pouring her heart out again, "Nice try."

"Can't blame me for trying. It is true though."

"H- how did you make this? It's incredible." Mackenzie asked, trying to segue the conversation.

"Oh, um, with a fair amount of difficulty... But after that quill you sent me, I kind of... I don't know, wanted to get you something in return." 

"Well, it's incredible. I love it, Merula, and I'll take good care of it." She smiled, looking at it again.

"If you touch the heart, it will pop, and turn into a swirling whisp of light -- then it'll reform after about a day, or so." Merula said, leaning in.

"Really? That's amazing, Merula." 

__

Mackenzie lost track of how much time they spent talking, but it wasn't long enough for her taste. It was rare that she and Merula just sat and spoke frankly to each other. She knew why, and she wasn't expecting Merula to suddenly change just because she'd finally admitted her feelings to herself. If she had suddenly changed to be like what she imagined Penny would be like to date, then that would be -- well she couldn't imagine it.

She'd fallen for Merula, and though a closer relationship was what she dreamed of, quite literally, she was under no illusions that she wouldn't get an ever-emotional overtly loving girlfriend. That wasn't wasn't what she wanted, and that wasn't who Merula was -- and that was why she loved her.

She hoped that one day, Merula could feel safe enough to truly open up to her, whenever she needed to, but she'd never be a heart on her sleeve kind of girl. She was too strong for that, and it was that intoxicating mixture of strength and vulnerability that made her so impossible for Mackenzie to resist.

"It's getting late, Crowley, we should head back." Merula said, her hand holding Mackenzie's over the table.

"Yeah, you're probably right..." Mackenzie replied, her mind dredging up questions, questions she wanted to ask. Questions she wanted to ask, not only because she longed for the answers, but because she was desperate to admit it to this girl, to remove any shadow of doubt from her mind.

"What's wrong? You seem- distracted, all of a sudden." Merula asked, leaning forward and fishing with her violet eyes to recapture Mackenzie's.

"I- I want to ask you something, but I don't know how to do it." Mackenzie replied, happily gazing back into Merula's eyes.

"Just ask. I... I can't promise I'll answer, though."

"Okay..." Mackenzie paused for a moment, her eyes shifting around, trying to organise her thoughts, "You know our first date?"

"Of course, how could I forget?" She replied, asking rhetorically.

"Well, afterwards. What you did..." Mackenzie continued, Merula moving to interrupt.

"Look, I know what I said, but-"

"No, not that. Before that," Mackenzie spoke again, once again silencing Merula's interruption, "when you hit me with that full body-bind curse and... You were talking about wanting to do..." She let her comment trail off, the word things just not feeling right to say.

"Yeah, I... Look, I'm sorry I did that, I don't know what came over me, I jus-" Merula began, shifting uneasily in her chair, her hand sliding free and her gaze dropping, before Mackenzie cut her short.

"No. No. D- don't be sorry. I..." She stammered, closing her eyes and taking a slow, deliberate breath. "I liked it. Um... I, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, about, well, that and other stuff like it."

"What? What do you- what are you saying?" Merula asked, he expression an odd combination of surprise and confusion.

Mackenzie had her hands in her lap, knotting together and bunching up her dress. The nerves coursing through her.

_Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Well, it's too late_ _now._

"I-" She swallowed again, her mouth bone dry. "I told you earlier that I'm always thinking about you, Merula. I mean it, like always always. I dream about you... About you doing, like, stuff like you did that night... To me..." She gazed up from her lap, and saw colour once again flushing into Merula's cheeks, "and I- these dreams always wake me up and, and then I can't sleep again until I've..." She couldn't say it, she wanted to, some burning, bubbling part deep in her stomach wanted her to tell her, to use the words, but she couldn't. "Ever since that night, since you traced your fingers over me, when I had practically nothing on, I -- I haven't been able to shake that image of you, to think of you as just Merula Snyde again. You're not just Merula anymore. You're the only person I want to touch, the... The only person I want to be touched by, and I want that, so badly. I- I can't sleep without, without doing, fuck you know what I'm talking about. It's nearly every day, you'll say something or something, or look at me a certain way, or carry yourself a certain way, or... Or sometimes, just seeing you, or or hearing you, and I'm back there again. Back at that window, frozen solid, willing to give anything for you to touch me again, to touch me... More." She was rambling now, panicking, spitting out her deepest secrets at a mile a minute, but if she stopped now she'd likely cry. "I- I lay there, thinking about you while I... And I always wonder if you know, if you know how badly I want you. If you know that I do this, thinking about you. I always wonder if you think about me. I wonder if you did what you did that night just to, I don't know, wake this part of me up. I- I imagine you watching me. The- The night you played my record, after you left, I... I couldn't sleep so I- and I wanted, so badly, I wanted you to be standing there, watching me. I've seen every part you, touched every part of you, but only in my dreams, and that- that's torture and..." Her voice trailed off and she dared to look up, her heart pounding in her ears.

Merula's expression was unique and inscrutable to her. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were wide with surprise and she was shifting somewhat uncomfortably in her chair.

"Oh, I've just ruined everything, haven't I? I never should have said that, why did I say all that?" She sighed dejectedly, slumping in her chair, tears rapidly swimming to her eyes.

"N- no. I- I mean, wow, Crowley. I, yeah, wow. No you- you haven't ruined anything. I just, I didn't wake up this morning expecting to hear that." Merula replied, leaning forward and once again fishing for eye contact.

"No I never should have said anything... never mind everything. What was I thinking?" Mackenzie asked rhetorically, avoiding eye contact as a sense of shame washed over her.

"Crowley, look at me." Merula said, before repeating herself, "Look at me."

Mackenzie did, blinking hard to try and suppress the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, her eyes finally locking with Merula's deep pools of violet.

"I'm guessing you were thinking the same thing I was that night. I've spent months doubting what I did that night, worrying I'd gone too far... Not the curse, you deserved that -- so suck it up." she chuckled, Mackenzie smiling and sniggering as well, "But all the rest. But- but no matter how much I worried I'd gone too far, and, you know, done something I shouldn't have, I could never really bring myself to fully regret it. I wanted to see you like that, to... To touch you, to make you feel something because of me. Something real. I don't know. I never expected it to... Torment you."

"Torment?" Mackenzie said, the word surprising her. "Well, I mean, yeah... I guess it has, but I wouldn't undo what you did -- not for anything. I- I should thank you for it, if anything. If you hadn't done what you did I would never have started... You know, and well, that's not something I'd like to go without again." She smiled, her smile wavering when she saw the somewhat shocked expression fall over Merula, before her face then shifted to one of almost amusement.

"What? Crowley were you..." She lowered her voice, for absolutely no reason but seemingly out of impulse, "were you not, you know, masturbating before I did that?" Merula asked, her question causing a sudden heat to flush to Mackenzie's cheeks as she realised she'd just inadvertently admitted something that she should be embarrassed about.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she actually managed to speak.

"I, well, no... I wasn't, I... Why, is that weird?" She asked, her embarrassment burning bright.

"No, I mean, I don't know. I don't go around asking everyone if they're playing with themselves or anything. I just assumed... Well, it's kind of cute that you weren't, but I always imagined you as doing it. It never really occurred to me that you may not have been." Merula replied, her eyes starting to sparkle with a mischief that Mackenzie had seen many times in her dreams, and once in reality. Still, there was part of what Merula had said that had stuck.

"Wait so you imagined me playing with myself, did you?" She asked, partly to direct the awkwardness onto Merula and off of her, but mainly because she really wanted to know.

"That's not what I-"

"No, no. Yes it is. Verbatim. I always imagined you as doing it. So, like, how long have you been imaging me doing that." Mackenzie asked pushing the subject, a smile pulling in the corner of her mouth.

"Look I... Your not one to talk, you just-" Merula began, before Mackenzie's laugh stopped her.

"I'm just messing with you. I- I aired all my dirty laundry, but I don't expect you to reciprocate, Merula. I, well, I hope you think of me... Like that. But, that's you- that's yours. You don't have to tell me." She said, not wanting to make Merula any more uncomfortable than her admission likely already had.

"No. Turn about is fair play. Yes... Yes, I think of you like that, doing that. I picture it while I'm... I like to imagine that it's you who's touching me and not, well, me. I- I dream of you sometimes... Most the time, and... And I have done since, like, the ball. That was the first time that I thought there might be more between us than just... Well, whatever this dynamic is."

Mackenzie smiled, despite the oppressive heat that was now not gnawing up from between her legs, but was also burning on her cheeks.

"Okay, calm down, Crowley." Merula chuckled, her hand once again on the back of her neck.

"I can't. This entire time I've been worried, worried that I'm -- I don't know. But then I find you're the same. That you think of me the same way. I -- I couldn't be happier, right now." She admitted, finally managing to get her smile under control, "And as for what our dynamic is, Merula. We're friends. We're friends -- as much as I know you hate to admit it. Well, actually, you're my... Girlfriend, if- if you want to be, I mean."

"I... Uh. That's a label, alright. I- no, yeah. Sure. I'll be your girlfriend, Crowley. I just... I just don't know how good a girlfriend I'll be, I've never been one before, and I'm not--" Merula replied, her internal conflict visible. The things she wanted fighting against years and layers of defences.

"You'll be the Best Girlfriend at Hogwarts, obviously." Mackenzie interrupted, the sudden outburst of laughter from Merula being exactly what she was after, to loosen the tension. "And I don't... I don't expect anything from you, Merula. You're a private person, I'm not going to go about telling everyone, regardless of how much I really want to. And I don't expect you to suddenly become... Like Penny, for example. It's you I want to be with, so, don't feel like you need to change a single thing. Merula, you're the Best Witch at Hogwarts just the way you are."

Merula opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Instead she simply smiled and nodded, warmth in her eyes.

"Well, shit, it's really getting late. We should-" Mackenzie said, moving as if she was going to get up, but not actually doing so until Merula did.

"Yeah. We really should have headed back a while ago." Merula agreed, pushing her chair back and standing. Mackenzie did the same, gently picking up the pulsing green heart as she did, the pair then moving over to the door.

"So, should we- do you want to walk back together, or?" Mackenzie asked, gesturing vaguely at the door.

"I would, but I need to sort this out or Sprout will probably lose it." Merula replied, indicating what she had done to the greenhouse.

"I could help-" Mackenzie began, but Merula shook her head.

"No. I have permission to be here. You're already out after hours, you should get back before that Squib catches you. I- well, as funny as it would be, I'd hate for our date to end with you getting worse detention, or losing House Points." She said, looking at her with a smile.

"Oh, okay. Fair enough. Thank you, Merula. Really. Thank you, this was... Perfect." Mackenzie said, desperate to lean in and kiss her, by suddenly filled with nerves at the prospect.

 _Shit. This might actually happen. Shit._ She thought, her stomach immediately knotting at the realization of everything she and Merula had just spoken about, about the ramifications of what she'd admitted to, and the, near as makes no difference, invitation she'd given to Merula.

She didn't regret it, not at all, but the fact that she'd just practically invited Merula to have a more sexual relationship with her, had just dawned on her.

 _Shit. I have no idea what I'm doing! What if she comes to me and I mess it all up? What if I ruin everything?!_ She thought, the concept knotting her insides almost painfully.

"Yeah. Yeah, it was. But then, I am the Best Date at Hogwarts." Merula replied, a light chuckle following. She then stood quietly for moment, her eyes flitting around as thoughts washed through her mind. "Oh yeah, b- by the way, about us, you know, Girlfriends... I was just thinking that, just, you know, to be respectful to you... that the whole physical side of it? Well, there's no rush or anything, is what I'm saying."

The relief that slammed into Mackenzie's stomach, nearly made her audibly exhale, but she managed to suppress it.

 _Oh thank fuck_. She thought. It had never occurred to her that Merula was, all her bravado aside, clearly just as nervous about the entire concept.

"Oh yeah, no, totally -- I agree. We should definitely-" Mackenzie replied, Merula piping up before she finished.

"Not that I'm afraid or anything, though."

"Oh, no. Of course not. I mean, psht, me neither. You know?" Mackenzie immediately agreed, the knot that had been building in her stomach loosening with each word.

"Yeah. I'd, obviously, happily go straight to bed with you and... You know, bu- but there's no rush or anything, right?" Merula said again, the confidence returning to her previously concerned expression.

"Right, definitely yeah. Absolutely, no rush, we'll just take it-" Mackenzie began, the two tripping over each others sentences, as both tried to shelve something they were both nervous about, but refused to admit.

"Take it-"

"... slow." They both said in almost unison.

They both stood there for a few seconds just looking at each other, each wearing a faint parted smile.

"W- well. Good night, Merula."

"Good night."

Mackenzie hesitated for a moment, before stepping forward, hesitating again, then finally leaning forward and kissing Merula on the same cheek she had been kissed on.

"Good night." She said again, her voice barely over a whisper, Merula not replying, instead just smiling at her.

She smiled in return, then turned and walked out, pushing the door closed behind her. 

Leaning back on the door, she ran her hand through her shocking pink hair, then balled her fist up and pulled it down swiftly.

"Yes." She hissed, her face wearing a broad smile, unable to not celebrate.

"I can still see you!" Merula called from inside the greenhouse.

_Oh, shit. Yeah, glass._

"Uh... Goodnight." Mackenzie called back, embarrassed as she quickly swept away toward the castle.


	7. Chapter 7

[[[ Following on immediately after the last chapter, Mackenzie is on her way back to the Slytherin dormitory, while Merula has a greenhouse to rectify. Both have the ramifications of what was just spoken to process. ]]]

[[[ Again, just as a note/warning, I'm still playing through this game and am not willing to write anything that may violate the internal canon of the game. So there may be a delay until the next part/after the next part (depending), until the story continues. This is because I like to play through the game a little further to see what events occur that may develop, hinder, or colour the growing relationship between Mackenzie and Merula. My motivation to write this will not disappear unless I stop playing Hogwarts Mystery -- which is about as likely as hell freezing over, as I love this game. So, though there may be a delay, the story will continue. ]]

[[[ Another little note. Past experiences, especially past traumas, are well documented as being responsible for certain aspects of a person's sexual behaviour and/or proclivities. I would like that to be kept in mind, especially if you are aware of the past of one of the notable characters in this tale. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 7.**

Watching the obscured figure, barely visible through the smudged glass and the darkness of the night, Merula chuckled slightly as it immediately straightened after her announcement and swiftly disappeared toward the castle.

Turning, the smile on her face refusing to disappear, she headed back to the table and retrieved her wand from the small black handbag she had propped up against it, before holding it aloft and playing it around the greenhouse. With each motion, incantation, and focused thought, the greenhouse slowly began returning to its usual order.

The two large intertwined plants that she had, rather sickeningly now she thought about it, formed into a love heart, began receding and returning to their usual forms. The red and pink flowers shrunk back, or in some cases blinked out of existence entirely. The numerous candles that she had enchanted to stay aloft, extinguished and gently lowered to the ground, and the greenhouse was plunged into almost complete darkness -- the only source of light being the small cluster of candles still on the table.

 _A giant love heart made of entwined trees? What in Merlin's name compelled me to do that?_ She thought, her smile tugging into one of self amusement. _If anyone had seen that, I'd never have lived it down._

Bending down, she retrieved a large brown satchel from under one of the desks and began loading the now extinguished candles into it.

 _When did I get so... Mushy? Must have been that potion, bloody thing. Crowley better not think that this'll become a regular..._ Her train of thought sputtered and died as she imagined a number of different circumstances.

_Well, in fairness, Crowley said she didn't expect a thing from me. She... She really seems to just like me for me. She doesn't try to change me, she just refuses to -- well, to hate me. And I've given her every reason to._

She paused for a moment, two candles in her hand ready to be thrust into the bag. Her expression dropped, before being replaced with another sincere smile, albeit one that spoke more of general contentedness as opposed to giddy, romantic aftermath.

It took five years but things finally seemed to be going her way... Despite her, if she was honest, self-sabotage. _I've managed to get a friend, well... A girlfriend, actually. Rakepick seems trustworthy, enough, and is mentoring me. Sure, I've got the O.W.L.s coming up, but I'm pretty confident about them._ She thought, stuffing the last of the candles into the back before jamming it back under the desk. _Yeah... Things are... pretty good._

Standing up, she slashed her wand at the candles on the table and extinguished them. The last flicker of light playing over a single pink petal that had landed on the floor at some point over the night. Bending down, Merula picked it up, and gently tucked it up the cuff of her sleeve, before smiling and heading back toward the castle, closing the greenhouse door behind her.

She set off back toward the castle, tiredness suddenly washing over her as the many tasks she'd had to do over the day caught up with her. She only made it about halfway to the Slytherin dorm, before a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Oi! What are you doing out of bed? I'll drag you to Professor Snape!" 

She rolled her eyes and squared her shoulders as she recognised the voice, before turning to face the cantankerous old caretaker.

"Be my guest, Squib. I was on my way back to the dorm anyway, and when we get there I can show my pass to the professor and show him exactly how incompetent you are." She snapped, staring Filch down despite him being a head taller than her.

She was growing, fast, everyone in her year was -- puberty in full swing, but most of the adults in Hogwarts were still a might taller than them.

The cat cradled in Filch's arms hissed, the hair on it's back standing up.

"And shut that beast up, or I'll jinx it and claim it bit me." She added, glaring at the angry little creature.

"You've got a pass?" Filch sneered, "Let me see."

"Why, so you can destroy it. I wasn't born yesterday." Merula scoffed, before reaching into her handbag and withdrawing her wand and the piece of folded parchment that Professor Sprout had given her earlier. "Lumos."

The tip of her wand flared into a mote of brilliant white light, and she played it over the parchment that she held up, but refused to hand over. "Satisfied?"

Filch scanned the parchment, then again, and then again, before finally glaring at her. "Fine. Well, you aren't in the greenhouse now, so get back to your dormitory -- and I'll know if you go anywhere else."

"Pft. Whatever." She folded the parchment and stuffed it back into her bag before turning and continuing on toward the dorm. "Nox." The flare at the tip of her wand blinking out in an instant.

"Dressed like a slut..." She heard Filch mutter under his breath, not as quietly as he had planned -- or perhaps, precisely as loud as he had planned. Regardless, she had no intention of letting it slide.

Spinning on her heels, though continuing to walk backwards in the direction of the dorm, she held her arms wide, her wand held in a reverse grip so it was parallel with her forearm, and called back far louder than was necessary, "And you're dressed as always, like a fucking tramp." 

The rest of the walk back to the dormitory was, blissfully, uneventful. The common room was empty as she walked in, and she headed straight for -- no. No it wasn't empty.

Over by the large windows that looked out into the inky depths of the Black Lake, she saw a figure reading parchment by dim candle light. The figure stopped and looked up at her.

"Damn, your late. Surprised Filch didn't gut you." She said, casting a glance toward the clock she couldn't possibly see in the darkness -- though she didn't need to, given how obviously late it was.

"He tried, not that it's any of your business. Besides, your up just as late, Skye." Merula replied, stopping and looking over at her.

"Ease up, girl. I'm not prying into your business. Just harmless commentary." The skilled and, by virtue of family, famous Quidditch player replied as she folded the parchment she was reading and stood up. "I just had something to read. I'm back off to bed now. You look nice, by the way -- and I don't mean anything beyond the fact that that outfit suits you." She added, making sure to remove any ambiguity in her statement. It was still Valentine's Day, and the last thing she wanted was to send unintended messages.

"Thanks." Merula replied, watching her leave. Skye never actually wore pajamas or nightdresses. Instead she just wore a massively oversized Quidditch top that fell down to her mid-thigh.

Merula turned the opposite way and headed to the bathrooms, washing off her make-up and cleaning her teeth. "Crinus Muto." She muttered, holding her wand up, the tip pointing at the currently pink lick in her hair, a whisp of orange light spilling from her wand to replace the pink -- returning her hair to its usual colour.

From there she headed for the dorm, side-eyeing Crowley's bed as she passed through.

 _I wonder if she's still awake?_ She thought. _She could be, she said she often can't sleep until she-_ she shook her head, dislodging the thought. Not wanting that in her mind right before sleeping. What she did notice though was that sitting on her shelf, pride of place, was the pulsing green heart and half-heart rose that Merula had made her. 

She couldn't stop the smile pulling at the corner of her mouth as she continued on toward her own bed.

Approaching the foot of her bed, she quietly opened the trunk and pulled out the song book that Mackenzie had gotten her, before climbing onto her bed and pulling the curtains closed around her. It was then that she saw the small slip of parchment poking out from beneath her pillow.

She reached out and took it, unfolding it. "Lumos."

_|| I'm not sure how you want to play it, and the last thing I want is to make you uncomfortable._

_Our date was a secret, and as such I'll tell anyone that asks that I found your heart on my shelf, and that I have no idea who it came from._

_I would love to tell everyone, to send Howlers around the entire school, telling everyone that I'm Merula Snyde's girlfriend -- but I won't unless you tell me to._

_I'm proud of you, Merula, and I'm furiously proud of being your girlfriend -- but I will keep it a secret until you tell me otherwise._

_Thank you so much, Merula. Thank you for trusting me with something as valuable as your heart._

_M.C._

_xXx ||_

Merula smiled and folded the parchment up, bringing it up and kissing it, surprised to find the parchment smelling of the perfume that Mackenzie had worn to their date.

Laying the song book on her bed, she opened the cover. Inside was every letter and every note Mackenzie had sent her. In addition was the black quill she had received just over a week ago, that was actually a transfigured record. Folded up beneath it was one of the napkins from Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, that Merula had taken as a memento of their first date.

Reaching up under the cuff of her sleeve, she snatched out the pink petal she had taken from the greenhouse a short while ago, and placed it in the book as well, along with the new note she had just received.

Closing the book, she crawled back down and dropped it back into her trunk, grabbing a black nightdress out at the same time. Pulling off her clothing, her modesty preserved by the large green curtains that surrounded her bed, she pulled her nightdress on before taking her recently discarded outfit and putting into her laundry -- knowing that the army of House Elves that maintained Hogwarts would have them cleaned and returned by morning.

"Nox." She whispered, plunging her surroundings into darkness, as she climbed into bed and closed her eyes.

__

She didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but it couldn't have been that long, before she awoke -- the sensation of a hand covering her mouth immediately igniting her fight or flight as she flailed for her wand, only to see that the interior of her curtained bed was already illuminated in light, and that that light was coming from the blazing wand of Mackenzie, her hand pressed gently over Merula's mouth, her expression, not one of aggression, but of pleading.

"Shhh, you'll wake everyone up." She whispered, equal measure amusement and concern in her voice.

Merula calmed and stopped reaching for her wand, though her own expression shifted to one of aghast, demanding confusion, as she tapped at Mackenzie's hand to remove it.

She did, and Merula immediately spoke, careful to keep her voice low. "What the hell, Crowley? I'm shattered, what time is it?" 

"Oh, I don't know. Didn't think to check." Mackenzie replied, sitting back in her knees, at this point Merula noticing that she was not only straddling her, but that her duvet had been moved off of her to one side.

"Crowley, what d- ... What do you want?" Merula asked, quietly, her voice breaking and her mouth becoming dry as her current situation brought all manner of potentials to mind.

"Well, I went to bed the moment I got back as, I don't know about you, but today was pretty tiring... But, well, I couldn't sleep." She said, tracing her fingers over Merula's hands which were currently at her sides, half propping he up in a semi-sitting position that was, honestly, killing her back.

"Well, I could sleep. So, is this a misery loves company kind of deal -- and if you can't sleep, I can't?" Merula asked, her heart already pounding as the expression descending over Mackenzie's face, as she wound her fingers into hers, told her that it wasn't.

"Not exactly. It's more of a To Hell With Taking It Slow kind of deal." And with that, she pushed her hands forwards, sweeping Merula's up above her head, causing her to fall back down again, and leaving Mackenzie's face hovering just inches above hers.

"C- Crowley, I said I was fine with it," Merula now beginning to regret her bravado, her nerves twisting her stomach into painful knots, even as the sparking excitement within her increased in severity, "but, m- maybe we should take it slow. I-" she never got to finish her sentence. As, as her lips shifted to form the next words, Mackenzie tilted her head and pressed her lips to hers.

Merula, subconsciously and involuntarily, moaned into the kiss, her hips rolling up, lifting Mackenzie slightly off the bed. In response, the girl atop her rolled her shoulders back, causing her chest to press down into Merula, their breasts flattened against each other as she deepened the kiss, Merula feeling her tongue slide into her mouth.

By the time Mackenzie readjusted her shoulders, and pressed down, lifting her up and breaking their kiss, both were out of breath. Merula was breathing heavily, and her vision swam with nothing but want. She could see the same lust-hazed glazing over Mackenzie's eyes, and could feel how wet she herself had become.

She went to speak, but had to swallow, her mouth like cotton, before finally being able to form words. "Le- let go of me." She whispered, before having to wet her mouth again -- her nerves and excitement seeing to keep her mouth perpetually dry.

Mackenzie did, splaying her fingers wide, allowing Merula to slide hers free. "Want me to sto-"

Mackenzie never got to finish her question. Merula shifted down the bed, keeping Crowley above her before, after positioning herself properly, reached up with her right hand and hauled the scoop-neckline of Mackenzie's deep purple night dress down, exposing her left breast. Opening her mouth, she leaned up, taking it into her mouth.

Mackenzie took a nigh-gasping inhalation, her swelling lungs pressing her still developing breast harder into Merula's mouth. Taking this as approval, be it the case or not, Merula began, while still holding the mound of flesh in her mouth, lapping at the nipple with long broad strokes of her tongue.

Alternating between long drawn out strokes, and rapid flicks of her tongue, Merula's left hand was gently stroking across Mackenzie's waist, though that came to halt as the girl above her, her breath coming in shaking, consciously slowed motions, shifted her weight and lowered herself onto her right hand side, laying on the mattress, beside her.

Far from this shift in placement removing Merula from her contented position latched to her breast, Mackenzie brought her left arm down and, gently grasping Merula's shoulder, rolled her onto her side. What happened next submegered Merula into a mess of confused emotions.

Laying on her left hand side, facing Mackenzie, her breast in her mouth as she lapped, licked, flicked, and toyed with it, Mackenzie shifted her left hand up and supported her head, stroking Merula's hair, while her right arm slipped beneath her neck and the bed, allowing Merula to rest her head on Mackenzie's arm, the arm then wrapping round to secure Merula in place and support her weight, allowing her to almost completely relax without moving.

The embrace was almost maternal, with the notable exception of the ludicrous amount of sexual energy bubbling through Merula. But the combination of the position they were in, along with the urgent need between her legs, pushed Merula past the point of no return.

"I've got you, f- for as long as you want." Mackenzie whispered, her voice breaking, before she craned her head forward and kissed Merula on the top of the head. "For as long as you need." She whispered, gently dragging her fingers through Merula's hair.

Merula didn't reply, she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to pull her mouth free of her, but she was so immersed in a sea of safety and lust, that her reactions were now no longer hers to consciously decide.

She simply mewled, as she pressed her chest closer to Mackenzie, tears welled up in eyes as her mind, one she usually kept so closed off from her feelings, struggled to process the barrage of emotions she was now feelings. Love, lust, fear, safety, doubt, embarrassment, and the unavoidable pang of shame she felt at allowing, and enjoying, being put in such a pathetic and filial position. But she couldn't help it, this position that Mackenzie had put her in tugged at something inside her, and she couldn't but fall into it. She never wanted this to end. She could stay here forever.

She moved her right hand to just beneath Mackenzie's arm, then ran her hand down, kneading her skin every few inches, Mackenzie's excited and erratic breaths continuing to make her breast shift in her mouth. As her hand reached Mackenzie's waist, however, Merula shifted it, bringing it down between them, pressing her palm gently onto Mackenzie's tummy, before running it down to between her legs.

"M-Merula, you don't need t- Oh, my God." Mackenzie gasped, struggling to keep her voice low as Merula dragged her finger along her wet folds for the first time. "F-fuck." She stammered, opening her legs, and pulling Merula off her breast.

Just as Merula hesitated, her fingers about to withdraw from her girlfriend, fearing she'd overstepped the mark, all doubt was struck from her mind. Mackenzie, using the hand she had been stroking her hair with, gripped slightly, redirected Merula's attentions on her other breasts, and pulled her forward again. Merula eagerly taking the unexplored portion of Mackenzie's chest into her mouth.

As she did, Mackenzie, though she continued to stroke her hair, now did so with slightly more force, as her hips rolled in time with Merula's fingers.

Merula could hear Mackenzie moaning, and just as she was about to get concerned about the volume, she seemed to stop herself by once again leaning forward and kissing her on the top of her head, consciously slowing her breathing and inhaling the scent of her shampoo. 

She hadn't pressed a finger into her yet, not knowing if she should or not. Instead she had been stroking and flicking at her clit -- sometimes the same strokes as she applied to her nipple, other times deliberately different. Then, just as she was about to dare to press a finger into her, the opportunity was taken from her.

Beneath her tongue, and beneath her touch, she felt Mackenzie seize up. She took half an inhalation, then stopped, and Merula felt not only her kiss part from her head, but also Mackenzie's hand disappear from her hair, shifting up -- she assumed so that Mackenzie could bite her finger or forearm, to stifle the quaking moan that left her. That, along with the sudden wetness that coated Merula's fingers, and the sudden increase in strength that Mackenzie used to pull her even closer, and even harder onto her chest, removed any doubt from Merula's mind that she'd just made her cum.

"S- s- stop. Stop. Stop." Mackenzie finally stuttered, after her muscles loosened, and she returned to the present fully.

Making one last long stroke, Merula slipped her fingers away, bringing her arm around and instead embracing her, as she simultaneously removed her lips from Mackenzie's breast, Mackenzie shifting her position slightly and hugged her tightly. Merula smiled and breathed in Mackenzie's scent, as she felt her long time rival panting as she was held close to her chest.

Merula shifted, trying to nestle into her embrace, to rest on her chest and fall asleep, even though she knew how disasterous a decision that would prove to be.

"N- no." Mackenzie panted, though her words were heavy with sleep as well.

Merula let out a protesting groan as Mackenzie shifted drastically, pressing Merula onto her back as she propped herself up and looked down at her, her eyes heavy and lidded, but her mouth pulled up in a warm smile.

"I know... You can't stay." Merula complained, careful to keep her voice low.

"No... Not really, not unless we want all sorts of trouble come the morning." She replied.

"It would be worth it." Merula smiled.

Mackenzie's smile shifted as she did, moving down toward the foot of the bed, Merula subconsciously opening her legs to give her somewhere to kneel before she climbed off and out. Mackenzie came to a stop, sitting on her knees between Merula's legs, facing the curtains, before turning back to smile at her.

"Although..." She whispered, her smile changing from a warm affectionate one, her expression still speaking of the post-orgasmic warmth still coursing through her, to a mischievous, almost predatory one. "We're going to be tired tomorrow anyway... So, in for a Knut and all that." She shifted on her knees, until she was facing Merula completely, and pressed both her palms onto Merula's hips as she lowered her head.

"Crowley. Crowley, you don't have to-" Merula began, her nervousness and embarrassment flaring up. She tried to pull herself back up the bed, but Mackenzie held her fast, using her other hand to pull the hem of Merula's nightdress up, exposing her completely.

"Crowley, C-Crowley you don't have - n- no" Merula began stammering as Mackenzie lowered her head between her legs, Merula weakly trying to close them but being denied. "M- Mackenzie don't, don-" body tensed up and her words snagged in her chest as she felt Mackenzie press her lips to her clit.

Her lungs refused to operate as her entire consciousness focused fully on the indescribable sensation coming from her pussy as Mackenzie kissed her there.

The only part of her that moved, and this was quite without any conscious instruction from Merula, were her arms. The slid down and she ran her fingers through Mackenzie's brunette, side parted hair. Her hips were the next to move, bucking forward and rolling herself harder onto Mackenzie, who responded by shifting her head slightly and dragging her tongue across her.

Finally Merula's lungs listened to her, and she took a breath in, simultaneously snapping her right arm up and biting down on her forearm, trying to stifle the quaking, and in her mind -- pathetic sounding, squeak that leapt from her. Her left hand remained, fingers woven into Mackenzie's hair as she began licking, flicking, and in some delicious, truly incredible moments, sucking on her clit.

"Crowley, Crowley you've got to stop. Crowley I'm going to-" she never finished her sentence. Instead her eyes blew open. Her right hand clapped over her mouth. Her left grabbed tightly onto Mackenzie's hair and kept her from moving. Her legs slammed shut, further trapping Mackenzie's head and keeping it exactly where it was. And her mind went black save for the crashing wall of joy reducing her mind to quivering pulp.

She didn't know how long she was _out,_ or how long she held Mackenzie there, between her legs, her administering the occasional extra lick, or focused exhalation that seemed to keep her orgasm going far longer than it should have. But eventually the need to breathe snapped her back to reality and she went limp, her lungs drawing in heavy breaths as her arms fell loosely to her side.

"I... I..." She panted, feeling Mackenzie shift, but unable to look anywhere but at the green fabric above her bed. She swallowed, before trying again "You didn't have to... Do that, Crowley."

She was almost startled, and may well have been had her body and mind had enough energy or awareness to actually react, when Mackenzie crawled back up and looked down into her face.

"You're amazi-" She went to say, looking up at Mackenzie, her face glistening with the fruits of her labour. But she was stopped when Mackenzie tilted her head and kissed her, the taste of Mackenzie mingling deliciously with her own juices... She couldn't help but press her tongue into Mackenzie's mouth.

They kissed for what felt like ages, but eventually it had to end, and Mackenzie lifted herself back up, slowly rocking back onto her knees.

"You too." She replied to Merula's unfinished admiration. "Well... Good night. Sorry I woke you." She continued, smiling amusedly as she turned and slid her legs off the bed.

"Crowl- Mackenzie." Merula said, careful to keep her voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"I- I love you." She said, no doubt in her mind, and all her fears currently forgotten beneath a haze of bliss.

"I love you too." Mackenzie replied, picking up her still blazing wand, a deep and sincere expression on her face. 

"Nox."

__

Merula blinked, it wasn't daylight that woke her, as the Slytherin dorms didn't get any, but rather the magical light from the enchanted sconces. That and the sound of her house mates busying themselves with getting prepared for the day's lessons.

Her mind slowly spun up, as she licked her lips and moistened her mouth. 

Running her hand down her midriff, and up under her nightdress she found no underwear but -- no, no she wouldn't, because she hadn't put any on.

"Merula. You up?" She heard Ismelda call from her bed across the way.

"Yeah, Ismelda. I'm up." She replied, before her expression contorted into one of thought and doubt.

_Did that really happen?_


	8. Chapter 8

[[[ Following on immediately after the last chapter. ]]]

[[[ Sorry for the delay. Real life has put a hold on most things. That combined with me starting a new Dramione fic, and the fact that chapters for this come as and when I get to a point in the game that gives me reason to write, it has lead to a fair delay. 

Again, this story isn't dead, and won't die as I love the game and the relationship that has inspired, and is the basis of, this story. I'm, currently, y5 c20 but I've taken a break from playing. Saving up energy for the upcoming Malfoy quest. ]]]

[[[ Still, I thought a "morning after the night before" chapter might be called for. Just a little one, for fun, and to show that this isn't dead. ]]]

**No-one Alone. Part 8.**

She woke up, the green fabric of the bed hanging over and around her. In the time it took her to fully wake up, the sense of warmth she had felt last night had already reasserted itself. Pulling back the sheets, she slid her legs off the side of her bed and pulled the curtain back, looking straight at the pulsing green heart floating on her shelf.

"And who's that from?" She heard Rowan ask, looking over at her. "You disappeared soon after getting back from that thing with Lockhart, and then, when I wake up, you're back and that's sitting there. Is it from Merula?"

Mackenzie looked over at her, her mind spinning a mile a minute remembering what she had said to Merula in the greenhouse, the night before. "I- I don't know. I went out, just to clear my head as, well, the party was a disaster... Lockhart ruined everything... And, when I got back, that was sitting there." She lied, waiting for some indication from Merula as to how public she wished to get with the somewhat closer relationship. In fact, if Mackenzie was honest, she didn't really know what the change in their relationship actually meant... But she didn't care. Merula had admitted how she felt, and even given her a token to show as much, and that was enough.

"Yeah, I assumed the party hadn't gone brilliantly. You came back looking like someone jinxed your dog or something." She said, bundling her uniform up, and grabbing a towel.

She looked at the heart again, it sat pulsing on the shelf. She remembered what Merula said and reached out. The moment her finger touched the heart it popped, and formed into a swirling helix of green light.

"Damn. Merula must be pretty sweet on you. That couldn't have been easy to enchant." Rowan said, moving over looking closer at it.

"We don't know who it's from." Mackenzie corrected.

"Sure we don't." Rowan quipped, looking at her, unconvinced.

"I mean, obviously, I hope it is, but... I don't know. A floating green love heart? Doesn't really scream Merula Snyde, does it? Maybe potted Devil's Snare, to murder me in my sleep -- but a love heart?" Mackenzie chuckled.

Rowan smiled and gestured to Mackenzie's uniform. "Come on. Going to have to get a spurt on, if you want to shower and eat before class."

"Oh fuck, yeah. It's a weekday." Mackenzie started, completely forgetting what day it was, before grabbing her stuff.

They moved through the common room before entering the bathroom. All the stalls were full, so they joined the small queue that had formed.

"Rowan..." She said, keeping her voice low, "I never -- I've never thanked you, I guess."

"For what?"

"For being cool with, you know, me being..."

"Gay?" Rowan finished.

She nodded, "I mean, I didn't really know what to expect, coming to Hogwarts. Like, I knew I was gay, always have, and I haven't heard of much prejudice about that sort of thing, not like the Muggle world, but... Still."

"You don't need to thank me for that." Rowan replied, smiling at her.

A series of stalls opened in fairly quick succession, nobody having the luxury of taking a long shower, especially given the time constraints early in the morning. Mackenzie felt her heart stutter as Merula stepped out of one, her towel and night dress over one arm, as she used her other to play her wand over her hair, drying it with a stream of heat. What took her by surprise though, was Merula's reaction to seeing her. Her expression flashed from embarrassment to faux-calm as she walked up.

"Crowley. Khanna."

"Merula." They both said in unison, Mackenzie unable to not smile.

"Crowley, we... We need to talk." She said, "When it's convenient." She added, before moving closer to the door.

"S- sure, um, how about after breakfast?" Mackenzie replied, confused. Merula simply nodding as she walked out.

"See that proves it. It was her." Rowan whispered, nudging her before moving into a stall.

Mackenzie stepped into her own, and tore her nightdress off.

 _What does she want to talk about? She doesn't regret what happened at the greenhouse, does she?_ Mackenzie thought, before shaking the thought away.

She showered quickly, and was soon dressed and on her way to breakfast. As she walked, Rowan beside her, Rowan spoke up.

"Why did you thank me?"

"What?" Mackenzie asked, before remembering, "Oh, well, I just noticed that I never had and... And having you always being cool with it was- it was a big relief, you know. You could have been put out by it, or whatever, and you weren't... And I really appreciate it. You're my best friend, Rowan, I don't think I tell you that enough -- and I should."

"I know that, 'Kenzie." Rowan smiled, nudging her.

"When... When did you realize I was gay?" Mackenzie asked.

"Pffff, I don't really know." Rowan smiled, as the approached the hall, "I mean, when we first met, it never occurred to me to even care, you know. We were 11, I didn't care about that sort of thing. But as we grew, I noticed things. Like, you never looked at guys the same way you looked at, well, Merula. I would say girls, but it's pretty much exclusively Merula." She chuckled, Mackenzie sniggering as well, but mainly with embarrassment.

"That easy to read?" She asked.

"To me, yeah, others seem to still be pretty oblivious." Rowan smiled. "But, yeah, the older we got the more... I don't know, the more loaded your eyes got when you looked at her. That and, you never looked at guys like that, not even Bill."

"Wait, so you're saying you can't like guys without being attracted to Bill Weasley?" Mackenzie chuckled.

"Yes. Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." Rowan sniggered as they finally entered the hall and sat down.

They ate breakfast, Mackenzie catching Merula looking across at her every few minutes, concern etched on her face.

As she and Rowan stepped out of the hall she told her she'd catch her up, but that she needed to see what Merula wanted, and, waiting just outside the hall, she tapped her on the shoulder as she walked out.

"Merula, Ismelda," she began, before looking back into Merula's violet eyes, "you... You wanted to talk about something."

"Yeah, you go ahead Ismelda, this won't take long." Merula replied, Ismelda glaring at Mackenzie before turning and walking away.

"I think she might actually kill me one day..." Mackenzie sniggered, before Merula grabbed her arm urgently and hauled her off to the side. "Woah, woah. Easy, what's wrong?"

"Did last night happen?!" Merula asked, her words hurried.

"What? Y-yes, yes, of course it did." Mackenzie replied utterly confused by her behaviour, and her confusion only grew when Merula's expression dropped, shame and fear washing over her as tears began to well in her eyes. "Woah, woah, what? What's wrong?" She asked, concern washing through her as she gently grabbed her arms.

"What's wrong? We said we'd take it slow, y-you said we'd take it slow, Mackenzie. Why did you- why did I let you- why did we do that? We were suppose to take it sl-" she began stammering, her eyes burning with muddled emotions, but she stopped as she saw Mackenzie's expression shift from concern to amusement. "This isn't fucking funny Crowley, I didn't say all that shit yesterday just so you could have some fun with m-"

"Merula." Mackenzie said, shaking her shoulders, hoping to stop the fury she could see in Merula's eyes spilling over due to a misunderstanding. "Merula, I- I think we're talking about two different things."

Merula paused, looking into her eyes, trying to read what she meant. "What? Last night. I asked if it happened-"

"And I said yes. Yes. Last night happened. We went to the greenhouses... We spoke, for ages. You gave me the most beautiful gift I'd ever been given, and then you did it again when..." She lowered her voice, "when you kissed me. We talked some more... I- I had just the best time, in my entire life, and then you told me to go to bed. So I did. I went back to the dorm room, and I fell asleep... And I stayed asleep." She looked at her, an excited curiosity welling up inside her, and a flush of excitement flaring between her legs. "Why? What do you think happened?"

"S-so it was a dream, then?" Merula replied, her entire demeanor immediately softening, as if a tangible wave of relief washed through her.

Mackenzie almost felt herself get taller, feeling a sense of pride bolster her as she fully came to grasp what must have happened in Merula's dream -- and how vivid it must have been for her to react how she did. "What was a dream?" She asked, surprised at how predatory her voice sounded.

"N-nothing. It doesn't matter, it was a dream." Merula replied, her demeanor changing again to embarrassment.

"No, no. It does matter. You were a hair's breadth from casting the killing curse on me, it definitely matters. What happened?" She asked, holding Merula's eyes, watching her squirm embarrassedly, but also somewhat amusedly, beneath her gaze.

"W-we're going to be late to class." Merula finally said tearing herself away, adjusting the satchel on her shoulder, and moving to walk away.

Mackenzie went to grab her again, but she jinked to the side, avoiding her grasp. "At least tell me if it was a good dream or not?"

Merula paused, and look back over her shoulder. It was then Mackenzie's turn to shrink under her gaze. She watched as she played her violet eyes up and down her, like she was measuring her up for a meal.

"It was good." She finally said, before turning and moving away, quickly enough for her robe to swell and billow behind her.

Mackenzie stood for a few moments, smiling, before she realized she was now running dangerously late, and quickly ran in the direction Rowan and Merula had gone.


End file.
